Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Rose DiVerona
Summary: Postmusical. When unexpected circumstances involving Morrible and Boq force Glinda to give up her rule over Oz, Elphaba and Fiyero must go back to the Emerald City to help her. But what happens when old acquaintances reunite?
1. Back to Kiamo Ko

A/N: I started this fic over a year ago, but it has undergone countless revisions, and is still not entirely finished. Still, I think I definitely have enough to keep posting for a long time, long enough for me to finish it. I am content with the beginning half, and hope you like it, too!

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**Prologue**

The sky was growing darker. Thunder boomed menacingly, and forks of lightning streaked among the gargantuan black clouds. Below, the grass was thrust from side to side in the fierce gale. Though normally a lush green, today the ground looked gray, bleak in light of the foul weather overhead. A few trees dotted the landscape here and there, but the Vinkus was not known for its shrubbery. This was, after all, the _Grass_lands.

The only living things visible now weren't even on the ground; they were up in the air, flying just below the cloud line. And they weren't even birds, or Birds. They were humans. At least, they had once been human. Maybe, in a way, they still were. One of them, however, if seen up close, was certainly a scarecrow, and the other had unmistakable green skin, setting them apart from normal Homo sapiens. Whatever their species, they were flying on a common cleaning object: a broomstick.

The sky was growing darker…

**Chapter One: Back to Kiamo Ko**

"Elphaba! Are you_ sure_ this is the right way?" The scarecrow called in desperation above the whipping wind, "The rain is coming!"

The green-skinned witch didn't answer at first, concentrating on steering her broom through the gale. "Of _course_ I know this is the right way! Kiamo Ko was my home for a short time, after all. Don't worry, dearest! I know my way around."

The other did worry, however. He worried that the storm would sweep them out of the sky. He worried that they were lost. And most of all, he worried that his love had lost it, especially since the laugh she let forth sounded much more like a cackle.

Fiyero Tiggular had changed a lot since his school days. Back then, he'd believed school didn't matter, that _nothing_ mattered but _knowing _nothing mattered, and that dancing through life was the best way to get through. He'd been kicked out of what, five…six schools? And always accepted to more because he was a Winkie Prince, a figure with a title, and a fairly important one to the society of Oz. Then came Shiz University, and with it, Elphaba. Still nothing mattered, until he'd helped her rescue a lion cub one day during class. The memory of the day Dr. Dillamond was taken away was still fresh in his mind. It had been when he'd realized that Elphaba could see right through his smiles and attitude to his heart, where he kept his secrets. She unlocked those, and then Fiyero's outer image melted to reveal his other side. He and Elphaba had run away together twice, and now it was, hopefully, for good. Though he still missed Glinda Upland, as a friend. Elphaba's personality couldn't have been more different then Glinda's, and sometimes it was overly easy to miss the optimistic, perky young woman he'd been engaged to, if not by his own choice. He wondered if Elphaba ever thought about Glinda.

Elphaba Thropp certainly did think about Glinda a lot, more so than Fiyero. They had been best friends at school, and even afterwards. Elphaba guessed that if she'd gone along with the Wizard, Glinda would _still_ be a close friend. Though admittedly complete opposites, inner and outer, they had early on come to an understanding that despite their differences they could still be friends. Then had come the day when the two had been forced to choose between going with popular opinion or against it. Glinda had chosen one; Elphaba, the other. And so the falling out began. It had been a couple of years before they saw each other again, both changed because of their decisions. According to the laws of society, they were now public enemies. But they weren't, not truly. Not ever. Lastly had come the final confrontation, when Elphaba and Glinda made their teary farewells, as an amend to past sins. If all went according to Elphaba's plan, they would never see each other again.

Elphaba, now commonly known as the Wicked Witch of the West, had changed, too. She had once been a shy, youthful, innocent Munchkinlander, shunned because of her physical differences and her inability to interact with fellow students. Her passion for Animal rights had given her the burst she needed to emerge from that shell, and stand up to the Wizard, of all people! Bravely, she had left it all behind and accepted the reputation others gave her as true. No, not bravely. Elphaba had been _terrified_! She still was, but she was now surer of her actions. This had come from the grief over her sister, Nessarose's death, combined with Fiyero's near miss, prevented only because of Elphaba's transition into the true Witch. Elphaba truly loved Fiyero, and now that they were both fugitives, it seemed that maybe that love could blossom. For now, the most important objective on her list was to reach their destination safely.

"Elphie, it's getting-too-windy!" Fiyero gasped as the wind momentarily stole his ability for speech. "Face it, we're lost!"

"No, I see it!" Elphaba gasped excitedly, pointing with her free hand. "Look, right there!"

Fiyero could see it now, dark and looming high overhead. Kiamo Ko. His second home, though he's never actually lived there. The last time he had set foot inside the castle was two weeks ago, when he had been part of a small group on a mission to melt Elphaba herself. Of course, that was all planned, and shortly after he had rescued Elphaba from the trapdoor where she had hidden. They had immediately left the castle, and for the last two weeks had been flying around aimlessly, to 'put them off our trail', as Elphaba put it. Now they were returning.

Fiyero loosened his grip momentarily, but at that moment, a gust of wind knocked them violently, almost pushing Fiyero clear off his perch.

"Ahhh! Elphaba, be _careful_! I almost fell!"

"It's not like you can get hurt anyways," she huffed, "And watch yourself; your innards are poking me in the back."

Fiyero was stung by the sharp remarks, and retaliated. "And your hair is flying in my face! Is it a habit of Wicked Witches to make sure they wear their hair as annoyingly loose as possible?"

Elphaba merely laughed again, and warned, "Hold on tight; we're going down!" She began to descend, letting out a laugh that was definitely a cackle. Fiyero held on so tight, his knuckles turned white. He shut his eyes and felt Elphaba's hair whip him in the face, but he was too terrified to push it out of the way. Despite the fact that he no longer really had a stomach, he felt it drop.

Suddenly, the crescendo of wind ceased abruptly. Cautiously, Fiyero opened his eyes. They had stopped, hovering about three feet off the ground, in front of the courtyard doors.


	2. Devastation in More Than One Place

**Chapter Two: Devastation In More Than One Place**

Satisfied, Elphaba climbed unceremoniously off the broom and stalked up to the fortress. She pushed hard on the door, and it swing loosely inward. Fiyero wandered over, and saw that the lock and handle were hanging loosely from the frame. No doubt the work of the Witch hunters.

Elphaba stuck her arm out, and the broom came to her hand. Neither she nor Fiyero said anything as they entered the courtyard. Everything was deathly quiet, like no one had been here for a very long time. In reality, it had been only two weeks.

The drawbridge was not blocking their way; actually, it lay in pieces on the threshold. Carefully, the two companions stepped inside the entryway. What lay before them was utter devastation.

The floor was a beautiful but deadly war zone. Glass formed a thin blanket, crunching under Elphaba's combat boots but sticking into Fiyero's cloth shoes. He didn't feel any pain, merely pulled the pieces out in annoyance. The source of all the glass was most definitely what had formerly been the chandelier. The rope system anchored on the wall to adjust its height was cut cleanly through. Fiyero remembered with some embarrassment that that was actually his own fault.

With a growing feeling of dread, the pair moved into the next room. It was much the same situation here. Anything breakable was broken, and everything else was scattered about impossibly. The same was true of the rest of the castle that the two dared enter. Obviously, there were far too many rooms to check them all, but one last place they had to see was where Elphaba had looked into her crystal ball.

This room was in ruins as well. The hourglass, of course, had been added to the debris in the entry hall when it had been thrown, but the table it formerly sat upon was splintered into pieces. Elphaba had to stop for a moment and lean against the wall to regain her composure.

Gone. It was all ruined, broken, destroyed. Despite the fact that the castle had not been her home for long, Elphaba had grown fond of it, relishing the fact that no one came there. It had been her sanctuary, her place to do what she pleased.

_I can do anything I want! I am the Wicked Witch of the West!_

"Elphaba! Look!"

Fiyero's excited voice tore Elphaba from her thoughts. She glanced over to where Fiyero had been shifting through the various items. He was straightening up, grinning. In his hands was a large, opaque ball. The crystal ball!

"Fiyero, I can't believe it!" Elphaba dodged the remains of a table and took the ball carefully. It was a little scratched, but other then that seemed unharmed. Somehow, it had miraculously escaped the damage inflicted upon everything else.

"Is this…good?" Fiyero asked. He had known Elphaba would be pleased at recovering a relic thought to be lost forever, but she seemed positively ecstatic. Her happiness was proved when she didn't even roll her eyes at him, just laughed.

"Of course it is! Don't you see? With this, we can know what's going on in the rest of Oz!" With that, she sat down on the ground, setting the ball carefully on her lap. Fiyero lowered himself beside her, watching the ball curiously.

Elphaba traced the crystal carefully with her fingers, gazing intently into its depths. For a moment, nothing but misty fog could be seen, and she gritted her teeth in frustration. But then her face cleared.

Fiyero looked carefully at his lover's face. She seemed to be able to see something surprising, because her eyes got wide and she audibly gasped.

"What is it, what do you see?"

"It's Glinda!" Elphaba said, "She's...no, I don't believe it!"

"What!?"

"She's been elected as the new ruler of Oz! She's making her coronation vows now! And…is that Boq? He doesn't look too happy…" Then she looked up. "It's gone." She sat back, hugging the ball closely.

Fiyero could tell she was troubled. He stood up, offering a hand. "Come on; let's go somewhere where we can sit comfortably."

Elphaba shook her head, standing up quickly. "No, we need to start cleaning up now. There's so much trash everywhere, and-˝

"Elphaba." Fiyero pleaded softly, "Don't do this to me. Don't shut me out. I know you're used to keeping things secret, but you have me now. Please…"

"I try, Fiyero, but it's so hard! I'm not a sappy love poem. I've become so used to holding everything in, all of my life. It's just…easier to keep it all to myself." Elphaba explained, biting her lip.

"Well, let it out! You can't hold things in forever, you'll kill yourself. Come on." Fiyero once again extended his hand.

This time, Elphaba took it and followed Fiyero down a drafty corridor to one of the many bedrooms. This room was destroyed like all of the others. The bed's frame was smashed, and the mattress was slashed. Still, Fiyero pulled the mattress free and sat down on it. Elphaba sat down next to him.

"Can you imagine, our Glinda, supreme ruler of all Oz?" Elphaba asked in a whisper. Her eyes were filled with tears. Fiyero wiped them away.

"You could have had it, too, you know," Fiyero said gently, "It went to you first."

"Don't say that, I didn't want it then and I don't now!" She said fiercely, "Anyways, if I had accepted what the Wizard offered he wouldn't be gone and Madame Morrible would still be Press Secretary. I don't want it!" Her voice was unconvincing.

"Maybe not. But you don't want Glinda to have it, either."

"Stop it! I love Glinda! She was my best friend. You know how hard it is for me to know she thinks I'm dead! I don't need to open up to you for you to realize that. I'm not sorry for the path I chose. I just wish…I wish it could have been different."

"You wish Glinda would have come with you." Fiyero finished, "That day you ran away. You wish your paths hadn't split. But Glinda couldn't live without the people's approval. She wants acceptance, and she's gained plenty." When Elphaba didn't answer, he pressed on, "She probably wishes you'd stayed with her, that day, too. Maybe she's even sorry she didn't come with you instead." Inside, he wasn't sure of this last part, but Elphaba smiled weakly.

"It's not just that. I mean, I feel like she's lost forever, you know? We're both too far down our own paths to turn back anyways, and now she's gotten as high as she can. She's probably so wrapped up in image that she's forgotten all about us. I don't understand how she can't see the corruption leadership does to people…like it did to the Wizard, to Madame Morrible."

"Maybe Glinda doesn't want to be ruler," Fiyero pointed out, "She may see it as her duty, now that she's sent the Wizard away. And besides, I think Morrible was a tyrant in disguise all along. And remember, Glinda saw them for who they were. She had Morrible carted off to Southstairs; don't you remember hearing about that? I'm sure her rule will be different. It's the right place for her to be."

Elphaba shook her head sadly. "Maybe…maybe you're right. But Glinda cares about people's opinions, and she won't do anything the public doesn't want. I worry about her."

They were silent for a while. Then Fiyero spoke. "There's something else, too, isn't there? I can tell. Please tell me."

Elphaba bit her lip. "I miss Nessarose," she admitted, tears once again appearing in her eyes. Then, shocking Fiyero, she threw herself against him, hugging him tightly. "I wish…I wish she were alive…"

He stroked her hair, and she quieted gradually. Finally, Fiyero dropped off to sleep. Elphaba lay quietly for a minute, but she felt very awake. There was no way she was going to be able to rest anytime soon. "I still can't get over the past. I know I have to move on, but it's hard, you know?" She spoke to the darkness, hoping it would respond. When all was silent, she decided to use a different approach.

I have a vision.

I see a young girl

Clad in blue with a verdigris

Giving her braid a twirl.

And look, as everyone whispers

And laughs at this youth

She tries to make it all a joke

But they act so uncouth

And there, by her side,

In a wheelchair so low

Sits her little sister,

Called Nessarose.

Enter a blondie

With no sense of restraint

She jumps and hops from side to side;

To her friends she is a saint

Then along comes a shy one

Tall for his kind

All he wants is one single look

From the blondie so divine.

Wait, here comes another,

Cute and swankified

They all know he's a prince

All the girls say "He's mine!"

And isn't if funny how sometimes

We can't know the truth

Now look, at what has become

Of that charmed little group

The green girl is friendless, flying solo through the skies

While her sister struggles to catch one of the shy one's eyes

The blondie doesn't understand why the prince ignores

And life is changing all around, shutting old doors…

And look, the shy one changes, now he's a tinman

And a house falls on the sister, bringing her life to an end

The Prince runs away with the misfit green witch

And the blondie does her best to try to turn the "Off" switch

But then the Prince is captured saving his new girlfriend

And now he's a Scarecrow - at least he gets to live.

And isn't if funny how sometimes

We can't know the truth,

Now look, at what has become

Of that charmed little group

That brings us to here and now,

The way things are presently,

The green witch is free again,

She, of course, is me.

And my dearly beloved, Fiyero the Scarecrow,

Lies beside me as he sleeps,

What he dreams, I'll never know

The blondie, Glinda the Good Witch,

Rules our dear faithful land

What we did as best friends,

I remember the best I can

The shy one, Boq the tinman,

Clanks now sulkily

He hates the "Wicked Witch",

But thinks I'm dead, thankfully

And as for Nessarose, the Witch of the East,

Well, she has moved on

To a better place, at least.

But the problem is, I haven't,

I still linger on

The time we spent together,

The four of them, plus one

What I wouldn't give to go back to those days

But I made my choices

And it's too late anyway

And isn't if funny how sometimes

It can be too late,

And we all have to let go

And accept our new fates

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A/N: Yes, this is a musical sequel. All of the songs have original lyrics by me, with the exception of one in which I use a lot of lyrics from What Is This Feeling? And the tune, of course. If you want me to keep the songs in, then speak up. If you don't want me to keep the songs in, then please say so. I would like to keep them in, but I won't if you all don't want me to. Review!


	3. Deciding

A/N: Yeah, I know this is a very short chapter, but there wasn't anywhere else to end it for a long time. I have decided to keep the songs in...that is, I've only gotten two reviews, and only one addressed songs (tho I know capriblue wants me to keep them in).

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**Chapter Three: Deciding**

Elphaba became aware that her face was wet with tears, and wiped them off, wincing and embarrassed, though no one could see them. She'd avoided her emotions the past two weeks since "melting". Thinking about the past tore at her heart – the little there was left. So many failures…Boq, Nessa, nearly Fiyero, Glinda, even herself. Nothing had gone right. But Elphaba knew she couldn't think about it or she'd crack. Contrary to what Fiyero believed, she just _couldn't _let _everything_ out. She knew her power would be mistakenly released, like when she got mad that time back at school with the lion cub. She could really hurt Fiyero. That wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

Devoid of anything else to do, she glanced down at the crystal ball. To her faint surprise, it shimmered. As she leaned closer, an image slowly came into view.

The background looked to be the Emerald City main square. There was a battle going on. It soon became apparent that it was the Palace guards against Animals of all kinds and sizes. The Animals were losing. It was a bloody scene, but Elphaba could not tear her eyes away, even as a Bear and Tiger were slaughtered almost simultaneously. Then the tinman, Boq, came into view, ordering the human soldiers to regroup. As he rode by, he slashed at an Elephant, who trumpeted in pain. Then Boq laughed, a spine-chilling cry that pierced Elphaba's heart. The scene disappeared.

Elphaba sat back, her head reeling in shock. The Animals were revolting? Yes, that much was apparent. And Boq was leading the guards? But surely not…that tinman was much too bloodthirsty to be the Boq Elphaba had known! Yet it had been his voice.

She glanced at the ball again, but it proved unyielding of further information. It made no sense that that battle was taking place right now – it was definitely day in the scene, yet the sky was dark with night. So it must have been a future occurrence. But how far in the future? The crystal ball never lied, so that was definitely going to happen sooner or later.

_But I can't let it, _Elphaba thought, _That would be awful!_

On impulse, she snatched up her broom where it leaned by the wall. She broke a twig off her broom and enclosed Fiyero's fingers around it. For a moment she gazed down at him, like an oversized doll.

"I'll be, back, Yero. I love you." She swept out of the room, hurrying down the dark hallways.

When she reached the entryway, she took a last glance around, and then opened the door wide, mounting the broom carefully and taking off into the sky. There was no cackle to wake any creature below. Leaning forward, Elphaba shot off towards her past – The Emerald City. Unaware that a silver-clad figure was watching her carefully…

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A/N: Pleaaaaaaaaaase review! Maybe I won't continue...


	4. Yero vs Biq

A/N: Thanks to my _four_ reviewers! I'm hoping to get more soon! Don't be daunted by the size of this chapter - a lot of it is the second song in the story. Obviously, it is What is This Feeling with slightly different lyrics. I wrote this chapter based on the idea that Boq would have a grudge on Fiyero for the fact that Glinda loved Fiyero. One more thing: This is NOT an entirely serious fic. Most of it is, but throughout there may be a little dry humor here and there. Nothing crazy at all, just some stuff to lighten up the mood. This chappie has a _little_ of that. Long A/N - on to the story!

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**Yero vs. Biq**

Three hours later, Fiyero woke from an unremembered dream. He sat up to get his bearings, expecting Elphaba to be beside him. She wasn't. He was alone in the room. Looking down, Fiyero noticed something in between his fingers. At first it appeared to be another piece of straw, but then Fiyero realized that his eye had been drawn to it because it was a different color. Frowning, he struggled to place the twig. Then it clicked. Elphaba's broom. Sighing, he stood up. It was just like her to creep off somewhere. She would be back, he knew, in a few days at most. Still, he wished she would tell him before leaving…

He went down the passage to the entry hall. The glass lay as it had the evening before. Fiyero sighed. It wasn't as if he expected it to disappear, but he had hoped it might. As it was, he picked his way carefully through, picking out pieces of glass from his feet, and, making it to the front door, opened it. He examined the sky. There was rain in the air, signaling it had rained sometime over the night. Big clouds still coated the sky, signaling a storm later. Fiyero had just decided to return inside when a movement caught his eye. Squinting, he made out a figure behind a courtyard statue.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he called, ready to make a run for it. The figure stirred and came out into the light.

Fiyero gasped. It was unmistakably Boq the Tinman.

"You!" he gasped, surprised

"You know who I am, then. As I do you, Fiyero Tiggular." Boq said nastily.

"What are you doing here?" Fiyero asked, backing up a little as Boq drew closer. He wasn't sure how he felt about seeing an old school mate now, especially when Boq had always been jealous of the way Glinda like Fiyero better than him. And especially because Boq did not sound at all like the schoolboy he had once been – his voice was hostile, and there was a glint in his eye.

"I've risen up in the world. People in positions of power will do much for you when you help them. I am now the Official Advisor of Her Royal Goodness Lady Glinda Upland."

"Congratulotions. Now, go away."

Boq ignored this. "You're supposed to be dead."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

"I never put two and two together," Boq said thoughtfully, "That whole time we were with that farm girl, Dorothy. I never realized you were really Fiyero – everyone had thought you'd been killed."

"Well, they were all wrong."

"What happened to Mr. Dancing Through Life?"

"I'm a new kind of guy now." Fiyero protested.

"I can see that. One made of straw."

"Well, we can't all be made of tin, can we?" Fiyero replied coolly. Boq made an angry noise in his throat.

"Oh, it seems the silver man is steamed!" Fiyero said triumphantly.

"I've been watching you. Why are you living at the Witch's castle?" Boq replied.

"You mind your business, I'll mind mine."

"You are my business right now. You've been convicted of threatening Lady Glinda, whom I now serve – who's to say you won't again?

"However you found out about that, I'm sure you can figure out that it was all a ploy. The only one I'm a threat to right now is you, _Biq_!"

"Tell me. Is Elphaba alive?" Boq asked delicately.

Fiyero's eyes widened. This conversation was getting onto dangerous ground. "What would give you that idea? We were both there when she melted, remember? In fact, you were the leader of the mob that did it!"

"If you're alive why shouldn't she be?"

"She saved me from my own mob by making me into a scarecrow, but now she's dead. Why would you purposefully bring up such a delicate subject?"

"Tell me the truth. I've got an army with me!"

"Where are they? I don't remember it being a habit of the Palace guards to stay out of sight while their leader has an immature word spar with an old friend," Fiyero chuckled.

"They're over the hill," Boq shot back.

"Getting old, do you mean? What, couldn't find any younger applicants?" He snorted. He was enjoying taunting Boq.

"You know what I mean, Fiyero." Boq's eyes glinted.

"Yes, Biq, but until I see this army, we're not going anywhere, and I don't care if you get caught in the rain and rust."

"And I don't care if you get struck by lightning and catch on fire."

"I want to see this_ army_ of yours." Fiyero persisted, seeing that Boq was getting angry. He wished he had that old gun about now!

"Okay, fine, there's no army, just the Lion." Boq admitted reluctantly.

"Oh, I'm sooo scared! Save me, save me, there's a Cowardly Lion on the lam!" Fiyero said sarcastically.

"You should be scared. He's got courage now, and he's been appointed Captain of the Guard, a position _you_ failed to fulfill." Boq snarled meanly.

Fiyero clenched his fists, but changed the subject delicately as he noticed the Lion coming out to stand beside Boq. No use being torn apart… "You wanted to know where 'Mr. Dancing Through Life' was right? Well, let me grace you with a _new _song.

The trouble with Boq is,

He always tries to teach the wrong lesson

Believe me; I've seen enough of him to know-˝

"No!" Boq shouted angrily, leaping at Fiyero. Fiyero dove, and soon they were involved in a wrestling match with the Lion as spectator. Finally, they both backed off, breathing heavily and angrily.

FIYERO: What is this feeling, so sudden and knew?

BOQ: I felt the moment Glinda loved you!

FIYERO: My 'pulse' is rushing!

BOQ: My 'head' is reeling

FIYERO: My face is flushing

BOTH: What is this feeling?

BOQ: Fervid as a 'flame'

FIYERO: Does it have a name?

BOTH: Yeeeees!

BOTH: Loathing!

Unadulterated loathing!

FIYERO: For your face!

BOQ: Your voice!

FIYERO: Your clothing

BOTH: Let's just say

I loathe it all

Every little trait however small

Really only makes me hate it all

With simple utter

Loathing

There's a strange exhilaration

In such total detestation

It's so pure, so strong!

Though I do admit it came on fast

Still I do believe that it can last

And I will be loathing

Loathing you my whole life long!

LION: My dear Boq

You are just too right

And I know this scarecrow just isn't too bright

He's so brainless, he's so stupid

I don't mean to show a bias

But Boq, you're like Cupid!

Poor Boq forced to converse

With someone who truly has to be the worst

I just want to tell you

I completely concur

I share your

LION: Loathing!

BOTH: What is this feeling, so sudden and new?

LION: For his face, his voice his clothing

BOTH: Giving me a whole different view

LION: Let's just say  
BOTH: My pulse is rushing, my head is reeling

LION: I loathe it all!  
BOTH: Oh, what is this feeling?

LION: Every little trait, however small.  
BOTH: Does it have a name…?

LION: Only makes me loathe it all  
BOTH: Yes…

ALL: Ahhh!!

LION: ...Loathing!  
BOTH: Loathing!

LION: ... Loathing!  
BOTH: There's a strange exhilaration

LION: ... Loathing!  
BOTH: In such total detestation

LION: ... So strong!  
BOTH: It's so pure, so strong!

BOTH: Though I do admit it came on fast

Still I do believe that it can last

LION: ...Loathing  
BOTH: And I will be loathing, for forever

LION: Loathing... Loathing... Loathing you!  
BOTH: Loathing, truly deeply loathing you

LION: ...Loathing unadulterated loathing!!!!  
BOTH: My whole life long!!

"And now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot on my list today. Let's see…Glinda's heart to win, my revenge to take, and oh, yeah – your life to ruin! I'm booked." Boq smirked.

"I can't get hurt by a Lion, or anything else. I'm straw, remember?"

Boq smiled slyly. "But you can get hurt internally, right? Say, if something happened to someone you love?"

Fiyero's eyes widened. "What have you done to her?" he asked, his fists clenching.

"Nothing. Yet. I know she's alive, and I know where she's going. I'll have my revenge on her, and then I'll come back and finish with _you_. You won't survive long, Fiyero, oh so great Winkie Prince. Better make the most of the time you've got left. Soon, I will be the Ruler of all Oz!" With that, Boq and the Lion ran behind a cobwebby fountain, and before Fiyero could follow them, there was an explosion sound, and smoke came from that place. Boq and the Lion were gone.

Fiyero's face was as pale as a Scarecrow's could get. "Oh no! I have to warn Elphaba!"

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A/N: Yes, the song was a little...off. I admit, it is not the best one in the story! But what'd you think of the rest? Review - I'm gonna wait for ten before I post again!


	5. Emerald City Blues

A/N: I gave up on getting ten reviews. Obviously, this isn't the most popular story out there...This is another appears-long-but-really-isn't chapter. I mean, it is long, but has another song, too. Tune of As Long As You're Mine.

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Meanwhile, in the green luxury of the Emerald City's palace, Lady Glinda Upland sat sadly in her chambers. She had a number of things scattered on the bed around her. Right in front of her lay a black pointed hat; beside it, a thick leather-bound volume; on the other side, a bottle of green elixir. The rest of the bed was covered with old exam papers and lists, and a broken training wand was propped on a pillow. All remnants of days past, when life was much happier…

It didn't seem like there was much to be happy about anymore, not for Glinda at any rate. While the rest of Oz celebrated their freedom from the tyrannical witches, Glinda was forced to pretend happiness at the way things had worked out.

Oz required a leader after the Wizard left and the Scarecrow, rumored to have been given the job, disappeared. The people unanimously selected Glinda. She accepted the position reluctantly, her only incentive being that maybe she could undo some of the damage done during the Wizard's rule. She had no wish to remain as leader for a long period of time.

Glinda looked at the scrapbook on her lap. It was packed with pictures and decorated with the pink girliness that was a sure sign of a romance-obsessed teenager. Why, on the very first page a big lacy rose sprang out at her when the book was opened! Most of the pictures, up until the last twenty or so pages, were solely of the then-Galinda with different outfits and hairstyles, no two pictures remotely the same in dress or accessories. There were a few pictures of Pfanee and Shen-Shen at the Upland Gardenia Party Extreme the May before the girls entered Shiz, and then some schoolgirl Galinda.

It was no surprise to Glinda that most of the pictures were of her. In the "old days", she had been terribly self-centered. The worst of it was, she knew she was selfish, but couldn't bear the thought of no longer basking in the attention she had from her loyal followers. After all, it was all about popularity and people's opinions. Wasn't it? She was worshipped by her "friends" (though they came closer to idolizers), and an exasperation to her professors. Typical blonde behavior. As far as Galinda had been concerned, her life needn't be at all altered. But her dreams of a perfect school year had been altered when Elphaba Thropp came to Shiz, and was assigned to share Galinda's suite…Eccentric Elphaba. The artichoke. Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe Elphaba "Elphie" Thropp. Elphaba was someone to have a sharp sense of pity for – an outcast. Then, through a complicated series of events, Galinda had become Elphaba's best friend, of all things! It was the unexpected start to an incredible friendship. Fiyero had been wonderful, too, of course. A scandalicious piece of eye candy at first, sweet later. Yet he had chosen Elphaba over Glinda in the end, and now they were both dead. Gone.

"Oh, Elphie," Glinda sighed as she stared at a picture of all of them, as they'd once been, complete and mostly happy. There was Boq, with his half reluctant smile; Nessarose, holding his hand with her customary sweet expression; Elphaba, showing her crooked, widespread grin; Fiyero, with his quirky and confident countenance, arms around both girls beside him; and last, Galinda herself, her dazzling display of white teeth lighting up the page. There they all were, alive and well, but now…now three were dead and another was only half alive. Glinda knew that Boq had a few issues, but there wasn't much she could do – he had been elected her advisor by the people. His continued attempts at wooing her were pathetic, true, but as long as she had an eye on him…

The next picture was one to smile ruefully at. It portrayed Elphaba and Galinda in their bedroom. Galinda laughed as she pulled at Elphaba's hair, while Elphaba wore a sour look.

_Popular…_

Glinda shook that echo away and quickly turned the page. There were some freestyle poses of Fiyero, his carefree manner always clear. She smiled fondly. The next few pages, too, were pictures of her friends, most candid shots of Fiyero or Elphaba. Glinda could hardly contain a laugh at the way Fiyero's smile came naturally; whereas it was clear Elphaba was struggling every time.

Then, the last photo. Her mood becoming solemn again, Glinda held back tears as she carefully caressed the lacquer protection page. The picture was of Elphaba as Glinda has last seen her, a grim smile on her face, her hat on her head, cape sweeping out behind her. It was probably taken in the last days of her life.

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better?_

Glinda gulped.

_But because I knew you, I have been changed for good…_

Letting out a sob, Glinda threw the scrapbook down, hugging the hat close to her and letting the tears fall fast. She'd managed to hold back on her emotions until tonight, but the cover over her raw heart had cracked, allowing tears to slip through. Her heart ached as she sobbed heavily for Elphaba, for Fiyero, for Nessa, none of whom deserved to die. And she cried for Boq, for the Boq that there had once been. The sparkly tiara she wore slipped neatly to the floor, sliding under the bed, but she didn't notice. Agony rocked her as the tears fell, one right after another. It seemed as if she would never stop, except for the sudden knock on the door.

Stifling her sobs, Glinda snatched up a throw pillow and hid her face behind it, rubbing off some of the tears, barely registering the wet makeup that was transferred from her face to it. "Who is it?"

"Glinda? It's Boq." There was a creak accompanying the familiar voice, probably from the bending of a knee joint. Glinda sighed resignedly. She didn't want company, but she didn't want Boq to hound her, either, as she knew he would if she resisted.

"Come in." The door opened, and the silver man clanked noisily into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"My lady, I have come to-˝ He stopped abruptly upon seeing her messy bed with its occupant hidden behind a lacy pillow. There was more clanking as he crossed the room and swiftly tugged the thing away. "What in Oz…" He was taken aback at her tears. Slowly, his tin hand reached for her, but she pulled back and it faltered, touching the hat instead. Grasping the top, for a moment he frowned down at it, brows knitted. Then his face cleared in understanding. "Oh Glinda…" He sighed, taking in the other artifacts. "I thought we agreed this chapter was over! It's time to move on."

"It will never be over!" Glinda pulled the hat away, "So stop trying to end it! I don't understand how you can just forget everything in the past. You're a part of it as much as I am."

"I don't grieve for the past," Boq countered stiffly, "I don't mourn the wicked. In fact, _no one _mourns the wicked, except you. Why hold on? It's time to let it go." Boq began to gather everything into a pile and spoke as he worked.

Glinda sighed sadly.

GLINDA: You want to let go,

But I've got to see far,

What happened in the past

Makes us who we are

Without those past years

I'm a lonely soul

Not Glinda the Good

Or the Witch of the North

And every moment

While those memories live on

I know I'll keep moving

Yet miss those who've gone

And if it turns out

Time passes too fast

I'll make every last picture last

While those memories live on…

BOQ: Stop with this nonsense

You're thinking too hard

Those lost were all wicked

Not worth lingering on

Let go of the past

What you need is right here

I've been calling to you

But you just won't hear

And every moment

While those memories live on

You're hurting yourself

Missing those who're gone

Say you'll forget them

And live happily

Life will be much better

You will see

GLINDA: Just for this moment

While those memories live on

I'll try to move forward

And look to a bright new dawn

But don't tell me

To forget everything

The love I think of is what I'm missing

While these memories live on…

Boq shook his head. "You are delusional," he said disgustedly, "The Witch meddled with your brain.

Glinda looked up. "You really think you're right about her, don't you?" she said sadly.

"I don't know anymore," Boq said with passion, standing up suddenly, "I just don't know!" For a split second, his face relaxed, but then it tightened again. "I came to bring you news," he said, almost mechanically.

"What is it?" Glinda asked warily, frightened of Boq's behavior.

"Madame Morrible is returning."

"What! I put her in prison nearly two weeks ago!"

"I know. Before you get worried, let me be the one to assure you that she completely forgives your _honest_ mistake." Boq said, almost sarcastically, as his mouth twisted into a weird smile.

"Huh?" Glinda asked, sitting up straighter.

"Well, a trial was held, and it was decided that it was all a big misunderstanding. Madame Morrible was quickly acquitted, and she will be rejoining our staff as Press Secretary once again. In light of the circumstances, she's even blamed the Wizard for her initial imprisonment, so no one in Oz will think less of you. You should actually thank her when she returns." Boq waited for a reaction.

Glinda felt like she'd been doused with ice cold water. "What? Mistake? Why wasn't I informed of the trial?"

Boq sighed. "I knew you wouldn't be happy, Glinda, but this is something the Lion and I did for the good of all Oz. We've decided that right now you are in no condition to make decisions."

"Do you mean to say that I cannot send someone to jail without them having a secret trial and being acquitted? Do I have any power over prisoners, as the ruler of this land?" Glinda asked angrily.

"Glinda, you weren't the Supreme Ruler of Oz when you sent Morrible to the prison," Boq reminded her.

"Boq, Madame Morrible is evil! Why can't you open your eyes and see that? She killed Nessa!"

That struck a tender chord in Boq. "So what?" he shouted, "She was wicked! She deserved what she got! Madame Morrible is the good person here – everyone else was wicked! Don't you see that?" Then, as before, he froze for a moment, and when he next spoke, his voice was unnaturally calm. "I just don't see how a witch that did such terrible things could be good."

"You're the delusional one here, Boq," Glinda whispered.

Boq didn't react to that comment. "I have to go. But one more thing…"

"Yes?" Glinda asked unhappily.

"Fiyero and the Witch – they're not…"

"Not what?" she pushed.

Acting more like himself than he had all night, Boq headed for the door, shaking his head. "They're not…forgotten. But if you seek revenge – well, you do realize, what with public opinion being what it is, it will be hard to arrange a trial. There's no proof that Madame Morrible is responsible for Nessarose's death. There is simply no _crime_." Boq's tone was so sure, even a tint threatening, that Glinda bristled.

"The charges against them all will be dropped eventually," she said firmly, angrily, "And those responsible _will _pay. I will make sure of that."

"Of course, of course! They will drop." Boq's voice was dripping with sarcasm as he shut the door behind him. "Dead."

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A/N: What did you think? Review!


	6. On the Way

A/N: I know, I know, not a very long chapter. But the last one was, and it's come to my attention only about three people are reviewing this, so I'm not extremely motivated right now. This is also a good stopping place.

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**Chapter Six: On the Way**

The sky was lightening steadily, and the sunrise was beginning its natural phenomenal display of colors, but only one figure was there to see it, and she wasn't even paying attention. The quiet little town Elphaba had chosen to rest at en route was called Windix Village, according to the sign by the carriage road. Its inhabitants were still fast asleep as far as she could tell – she hadn't seen signs of movement, except for a stray dog or two. The street lights were flickering, and it was on one of these that Elphaba fixed her gaze upon. Her thoughts were drifting slowly back to the past, a subject she'd managed to avoid while in flight.

_So much _had happened in just those two short days. After those years of solitude…First, Elphaba gave her sister the ability to walk and shortly afterwards saved Boq's life (which was unappreciated); then, she re-rejected the Wizard's proposition of partnership, followed by a runaway with Fiyero. Then, to top off the whole fiasco, Nessa was hit by a flying house. It was no wonder Elphaba had been hopelessly overwhelmed and made a couple of drastic decisions. She regretted most of them now. Those decisions had ultimately killed Nessa, distanced Glinda, and hurt Boq.

_It didn't have to be this way, _Elphaba reminded herself, _I could have had everything – popularity, power, and friendship._ Of course, that would have come at the cost of letting go of her beliefs of the Wizard's tyranny, and might have caused Fiyero to never end up with her – but he would never have become a scarecrow. And Nessarose would be alive – brokenhearted, but alive. Guilt and grief suddenly swept over Elphaba in one quick wave. It made her cry out in pain and stumble backwards against a low wall. She remained there, motionless, for what seemed like hours, but when she opened her eyes they were hardened again, and showed no sign of the turmoil she'd pushed deep below the surface, as usual. Grasping her broom firmly, she took off into the sunrise.

"I can't keep doing this." She instructed herself firmly. "Life is not a pity fest, and I'm pitying myself every time I use the 'What-if'. I'm going to the city simply to assess the situation with Animals and help out any way I can. This is strictly business. Not a trip down memory lane." She kept flying, faster and faster, determined to put Kiamo Ko far behind her.

She had barely flown for a few minutes, however, when she spotted a dark cloud in the air, coming directly for her. Her first thought was to fly away quickly, but then she squinted and saw it was her flying Monkeys. They were screeching, and seemed terrified of something. Furthermore, they didn't seem to see her.

Elphaba waved at them, but they got closer and closer, not slowing up at all. Then came the impact. Before she could get out of the way, one of the Monkeys flew into her, nearly knocking her off her broom. Then another came up behind it and hit the first, again jostling Elphaba. Then the rest of them came all at once, and Elphaba was thrown off her broom. Before she could think of doing anything to slow her fall, a few of the creatures rushed down at her and took her arms. They came slowly to the ground, the others behind them. One held the broom. They all were chattering frantically.

"Elphaba?" a scratchy voice questioned.

Elphaba looked up, forcing her way through the daze of having two dozen Monkeys fly into her at top speed. "Chistery?"

The Head Monkey crouched before her, looking, if that was possible, concerned. The other Monkeys quieted and crowded behind their leader, their expressions confused.

"What were you all doing, flying at top speed like that?" Elphaba asked, her surprise moving aside to make room for anger. "You could have killed me!"

Chistery looked miserable. "Sowwy," he offered, sounding exactly like a reprimanded toddler, "Castle be invaded. People come to destroy it, and us. You disappeared with Fiweo, so we get scared and leave. We monsters." He explained, as if he rather liked the idea.

"Oh, no, Chistery, you aren't a monster. You're an Animal. A special one." Elphaba chided. Chistery merely shrugged.

"Now we go back," he offered.

"Good idea. I need you to go and stay with Fiyero. He's at Kiamo Ko. The raiders are long gone. Don't go anywhere else, do you understand?"

Chistery nodded. "Yes."

Elphaba stood, picking her broom up. "Good. I have to go. There's no time to lose now. Remember, be quick, and stay out of sight!" With that, she lifted off, glancing behind her to see the Monkeys flying along the path Elphaba had left, led by faithful Chistery.

"I'll be at the City in a day if I fly really fast," Elphaba told herself. "And then I'll be able to see what's happening."

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A/N: Please, please, PLEASE review! And if you like Rent and want stories people love to review, you should read my RENT series. I'm probably a better RENT writer than Wicked. ;)


	7. An Interrupted Welcome

A/N: Next chapter!! There's yet another song, a reprise of Thank Goodness with a few different lyrics.

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**Chapter Seven: An Interrupted Welcome**

Glinda sighed as she peered through a window in her public address parlor. All of the Emerald City citizens were out there, filling the streets and sidewalks, making a sea of constantly moving green. They were waiting for her to make a special speech on what a joy it was to have Madame Morrible back at the palace.

_It's a joy all right, _Glinda though sullenly, _Having a murderer in our midst is sooo much fun._ She glanced into the room behind her. Her officials were milling about the room impatiently, and Boq had his eyes glued to the door, with the occasional flick back to the clock on the wall. Madame Morrible was now almost twenty minutes late to her own welcome speech. Granted, it had given time for Glinda to think of _something _fake to say, but it had also given her unnecessary time to think. She was now almost certain she would be unable to stand in front of everyone and lie through her teeth, much less smile into the face of her best friend's little sister's murderer.

Glinda clenched her fists. She couldn't believe this was happening! Morrible should be in chains, not restored to her old place of influence. Well, if she was forced to accept the fact that Morrible was returning for good, then Glinda was going to make sure that her hold on the government didn't get tight. Hers or Boq's. She was still the Ruler, and it was her job to make sure the land of Oz prospered. Now that she was alone in the world, that job began now.

Just then, the doors were thrown open and the woman of the hour swept in as if she owned the place. Glinda studied her. She looked none the worse for her time in Southstairs – her dress was as elaborate as ever and her hair just as wild.

"Madame Morrible! It's so good to see you again!" Boq exclaimed, tearing his eyes away from the clock and rushing to greet her, his tin limbs creaking loudly.

Morrible half hugged, half shook hands with the man of tin, smiling eerily all the while. "Can it really be my former student, Boq the Munchkin? Now Personal Advisor to the Supreme Ruler of all Oz? I always knew you'd go far! It's all in talent." Then she released Boq and turned to Glinda.

"Is it Your Majesty? Or Your Goodness? Or Lady Glinda?" she inquired.

"You may call me Lady Glinda. And enjoy the little time you have here, _Horrible Morrible_, because soon you will be returned to prison, where you belong.

Madame Morrible's smile vanished, and she leaned close, narrowing her eyes and speaking so only Glinda and Boq could hear. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, missy. Here are the facts: You have no evidence against me, except your own word. And I would advise you not to pretend you have the upper hand in this situation, because I know a secret involving you and the Witch that I'm sure you wouldn't want all of Oz to hear about. You've gotten what you wanted, so just remember to smile and wave and SHUT UP!" She stepped back and resumed her smile.

Glinda opened her mouth to say something in return, but she couldn't think of what to say with all her ministers watching, so she closed it.

"Glinda, Madame, I'm sorry to interrupt this _touching _reunion, but the people are waiting…" Boq said pointedly. Not giving Glinda a chance to respond, he stepped forward and opened the door to the balcony. Pasting a bright smile on her face, Glinda stepped into the sunlight, waving to the crowd as they erupted into applause.

"Good afternoon, dear friends and citizens of our fair land Oz. It's a beautiful morning, isn't it? No need to respond, that was rhetorical. Fellow Ozians, I bid you to look around. Our grand city was shrouded in darkness until recently. Now, the darkness has lifted. A great burden comes off our shoulders, and we can watch as our City brightens more with each day. This is certainly a new beginning, and I invite you to embrace it with a full heart. We have made it through the dark days – now it is time to rebuild our own lives, and as we do this, to rebuild the very framework of our government. I come before you today to welcome back one of the best Press Secretaries the Emerald City has ever seen. It is time to rejoice, for out of the gloom and despair of an unfair rejection comes to her rightful post the one and only Madame Morrible!"

As predicted, the crowd erupted again as Morrible made her grand entrance onto the balcony to stand beside Glinda. She waved as Glinda had moments before.

"Thank you, good people of the City. I would like to thank Her Supreme Ozness Lady Glinda for this opportunity to speak with you, and to tell you how I came to be trapped in the dark heart of Southstairs Prison itself." The crowd gasped, but Morrible took it in stride.

"I was, as all of you know, Press Secretary of Oz during the dark days. I remained faithfully by the Wizard's side, and felt that I shared his burden. Of course, it was very hard for both of us when the Wicked Witches surfaced and sent all of Oz into a great panic. It was a great victory to us when a house chanced to drop out of the sky and onto the Wicked Witch of the East. Eventually, the Wicked Witch of the West was melted. All should have been solved, all happiness returned. But the Wizard was unhappy with the way things had ended, with several Animals still running amok and a selfish wish to have taken part in the grand murder. Preposterous, of course. It was clear he was not himself, but when I tried to calm him, in a fit of rage he had me flung into prison. The same day, his balloon took flight, but I was still stuck in Southstairs until Royal Advisor Boq and Captain of the Guard Lion found me and arranged for my immediate release. Now I stand before you, willing to retake my former position and ready to help put the past behind us as we look to a bright future!" The Ozians broke into applause and whistles as Glinda took the fore once more. Knowing what the Ozians wanted, she began to sing:

GLINDA: Now you see, dear Ozians

How our country can change

How we can make things get fixed

That's the way it all goes

When disaster strikes

We bounce back, the better for our trials.

Citizen 1: Though it can be hard we know we'll be okay

Citizen 2: With our dear Glinda here leading the way!

Citizen 3: And we know that this is right, we hope she's here to stay!

Citizen 4: The good Madame Morrible returns today!

GLINDA: Oh, what a –

Her voice broke, and she fought back the tears and frustration threatening to overcome her. Taking a deep breath, she began again.

GLINDA: Oh what a celebration we'll have today!

OZIANS: Thank goodness!

GLINDA: Let's have a celebration the Glinda way!

OZIANS: Thank goodness!

MORRIBLE: We'll have a day that's totally carefree

OZIANS: We couldn't be happier! Thank goodness!

GLINDA: Yes, we couldn't be happier

Right here

Couldn't be happier

Look what we've got,

A fairy tale plot,

Our very own happy ending

Where we couldn't be happier,

Simply couldn't be happier

Well – not simply

'Cause getting your dreams,

It's strange but it seems

A little, well, complicated…

This part was the hardest because it was so true. The pain felt as it had been originally, when Elphaba had disappeared, was increased tenfold now that Elphaba and Fiyero were dead.

There's a kind of a sort of…cost

There's a couple of things get lost

There are bridges you cross you didn't know

You crossed until you've crossed

And since that joy,

That thrill

Didn't thrill like you thought it would

Still…

With this new beginning,

The cheers and the ballyhoo

Who wouldn't be happier?

So, I couldn't be happier

Because happy is what happens

When everything comes true

Well, isn't it?

Happy is what happens

When your dreams come true!

OZIANS: We love you Gli-

But they were interrupted by a yell from among them.

"Boo! Down with Horrible Morrible! Boo!"

There were gasps in the crowd, and a general ripple as those surrounding the speaker moved away from her. The voice was that of an old hag woman standing in the midst of the other citizens. Her hood hid her face, but she was stooped and grasped onto a knotted cane. Whispers began to well up, but died down again as the woman began again to yell.

"This woman is a murderer! She killed Nessarose Thropp, the Munchkinland Governor. Nessarose was not evil! Nor is Elphaba! She lies! They all lie! Murderer! Murderer! Boo!"

Glinda did not know what to do. Who was this woman who knew the blatant truth about the Witches? The face was too far away to be seen clearly, but Glinda almost felt as if she recognized the voice. A sudden urge to speak to this mysterious woman overwhelmed her. She glanced behind her at Boq. He was frowning down into the crowd as well, but seemed to be watching another area. Following his line of sight, she saw two of the Palace guards making their way boldly to the woman. Swiftly they grabbed her, and began to drag her away through the sea of whispering Ozians.

"Elphaba lives! It is in the air, shouted by the Birds! Elphaba lives!" The woman shouted out before she was silenced.

Glinda, horrified, ignored the frantic whisperings of the Ozians and swept abruptly back into the parlor. "I want to see that woman in my personal parlor at once." She ordered one of her ministers, who bowed and swiftly went out.

"Glinda, do you really think that is a good idea?" Boq asked, joints clanking as he followed her down the hall, "I mean-˝

"Yes, I think it is a very good idea!" Glinda snapped, not slowing her pace as a fresh wave of painful memory swept into her body. _Elphaba lives!_

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A/N: Review!


	8. One Short Day in the Emerald City

A/N: And, another song. This one doesn't have a recognizable tune, I made the tune up, so just do the best you can with the lyrics. Imagine an upbeat rhythm. Italics in the song are spoken words. There won't be any more songs for a while now!

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**Chapter Eight: One Short Day in the Emerald City**

Fiyero stood at the window, staring out at the bleak landscape surrounding Kiamo Ko. It had rained a bit earlier, but as far as he could tell, it wasn't anymore. Nothing stirred outside. Even the twittering of birds was absent. A feeling of dread had overtaken the castle and settled in Fiyero's heart. Somewhere, Elphaba was in danger, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. Even if he walked to the City, as he had one unforgettable time, he would never get there fast enough.

"Something bad is happening in Oz…" he whispered.

Then he spotted movement in the gray sky. Thinking it might be Elphaba, he looked closer. Then he smiled. It was Elphaba's Monkeys. He hurried to the doors and struggled to pull them open as the Monkeys swept low, coming in for a landing on the threshold.

"Chistery!" Fiyero ran forward. The Monkey grinned and clapped his hands as he turned to address his posse, first in chitters, then in the common language.

"We have reach Fiewo!" The other Monkeys cheered, though it sounded more like shrieking.

"Chistery, listen, we don't have much time. We have to find Elphaba and warn her!"

"Elphaba?" Chistery scrunched up his nose. "We see Elphaba soon ago. She flying to City. Emwald City, I tink…She tell us find you! And we did." He was obviously proud.

Fiyero, on contrast, paled. "She what?! She was flying _to_ the _Emerald City_? Oh no, this is bad, this is _very bad_..." Fiyero paced back and forth, muttering to himself. "If Boq is after her, and knew where she was going, and he _lives _in the Palace _in _the Emerald City, then Elphaba is heading right towards him! Chistery," he announced, turning to the Monkey, "You have to take me to the Emerald City!"

"Elphaba say to stay here. No go away. She said." Chistery answered at once.

"Maybe so, but she doesn't know what danger she's in! Boq knows we're alive! We _have _to go!"

"Elphaba say-˝

"I _know_ what she said! But Chistery, do you understand? She _is in danger_! She could _die_!"

The last word struck a chord in Chistery. "Die!" He shrieked, "Die, die, died, _dead_? No! We follow her!"

"Good." Fiyero said in relief. "Um…I guess we fly?"

Two of the Monkeys made a chair out of their hands, and Fiyero sat, knowing he would weigh next to nothing. They lifted off, and Fiyero forced himself not to look down.

"I'll never get used to flying…" He gulped.

**--------------**

There it was. The Emerald City, glittering different shades of green, a feast for the eyes. The spire of the Palace poked high above the surrounding buildings. Elphaba carefully descended, watching for movement on the road below. Luckily, it was midday, so most villagers were either in the City on business or inside having their afternoon meal. No one was in sight.

Softly, Elphaba touched down on the road, casting a furtive look around. Still, there was no one. She decided now was as good a time as ever to disguise herself. Going behind a large oak tree, she reached into her bag for the container of powder she had there.

It took an hour and five containers of powder, but finally Elphaba had managed to cover her face, neck, hands, and ankles with the powder. She felt gross and makeup-y, but hopefully anyone who saw her would attribute her slight green tinge to illness. A masking spell would have been much easier and safer, but, unfortunately, Elphaba had never learned that particular enchantment. Picking up her broom, she was off to enjoy one short day in the Emerald City.

The road to the City wasn't long, but to Elphaba, who was anxious to be there, it felt like forever. Gradually, more and more people began to appear as they went about their afternoon business. Some gave her strange looks, but most simply went on their way. It felt different to not have anyone staring at her green skin. Of course, if she had revealed her skin, she would be caught. It was likely that she and her verdigris would become a legacy in the minds of Ozians. An evil legacy.

The guards at the City Gates let her in without a problem. To them, she was just another civilian who had something to do somewhere.

Elphaba looked around as she winded her way through the overcrowded streets. The city hadn't changed much in the last two months. There were still street vendors everywhere, though Elphaba noted that there were no longer any more _Wizomania_ posters. There was, however, a banner over one building's door proclaiming "Welcome to our new Press Secretary!"

"Excuse me, ma'am," Elphaba tapped a vendor woman on the shoulder, "Who exactly is the new Press Secretary?"

The woman laughed. "You must not be from around here, stranger. Everyone in the Emerald City and beyond knows that piece of information!"

"I've been far away. Not much reaches us there." Elphaba explained cautiously.

The woman seemed to believe her. "Well, since you asked nicely, I'll tell you; it's Morrible, the former Secretary."

"No!" Elphaba gasped, a hand over her mouth.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" The woman asked curiously.

"What? Uh, no, not at all! I'm just surprised."

"Oh. For a minute, I thought I might have found an ally against the old witch."

"Witch?" Elphaba asked jumpily.

"Just an expression. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes. Um, could you tell me where the nearest clothing store is? And a hotel?"

"There's a hotel, the Praux, around the corner there. And the Upland Department Store is right there. It's new, but nothing there comes cheap."

"Thank you for your help."

"No problem," the woman said, turning to a customer.

Elphaba slid past the lady down the street to the department store he had been directed to. The truth was, despite Glinda's insistence that Elphaba never listened to her advice, she had learned a few things from the endless ranting. A clothing store was the perfect place to go to get helpful information. Confidently, Elphaba pushed open the door and entered.

The place was definitely big, that much was easily noticed. The floors were marble, or at least what _looked _like marble, and there was a glass chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. As she mounted a few steps, the whole store spread out her eyes.

"Sweet Oz!" Elphaba murmured to herself, closing her eyes and opening them again to make sure it wasn't just a hallucination. It wasn't.

Clothing of all sorts hung on racks and lay on shelves _everywhere_. There were narrow aisles between the racks, but almost every square inch of floor was occupied. And most of the clothes were utterly outrageous, as far as Elphaba could see. Eye-popping colors and styles shouted out from where they were positioned, seeming to demand attention.

_I'll _never _find an outfit here! _Elphaba thought frantically. _This place is for psychos like Morrible! _Looking around, Elphaba didn't even see anyone in sight. There was an empty counter to her right, bare except for a silver bell. Cautiously, she crept over to it and picked up the bell, giving it a tentative ring.

A dumpy woman in a navy skirt and suit appeared out of seemingly nowhere and skidded to an abrupt halt right in front of her, breathing heavily. "What can I help you with, dearie?" She cast an appraising look at Elphaba's outfit, "A new dress, perhaps?"

"Um…yes, please." Elphaba said, looking around skeptically, "Do you have anything less…er…"

"Outrageous? Yes, that department is on the second floor, near the cosmetics counter. You might want to consider that, too, you know…"

Elphaba gave the woman a look. She looked mortified.

"I mean, not that I think you need it, it's just…" But her voice trailed off as she realized Elphaba had already moved to the stairs.

The next floor seemed just as big, but luckily the outfits were more modest and less feathery. There was an aisle straight back through the clothes, and Elphaba could see the makeup place the assistant downstairs had mentioned. There were several ladies sitting there, chatting animatedly.

_Information central. _Elphaba thought immediately. She walked slowly towards the counter, pretending to be interested in the glove rack nearest to it. Picking up a pair of brown leather gloves and fiddling with them, she strained her ears to hear what the others were saying.

"…not very civilized, if you ask me. I mean, he's a tinman, for Oz's sake!" A bouncy looking young woman was saying to her companion, who was clearly getting a makeover from an older lady behind the counter - who, nonetheless, was taking an active part in the conversation.

"I think he would probably be very handsome if he were a human," the older lady butted in, "The way he speaks so eloquently!"

"Yes, well, the Wizard wasn't a charmer, and he spoke elock-elo, well, whatever it was!" Another woman reminded them all.

"The Wizard was a pompous old fool!" Makeup lady said firmly, "Though he was rather dashing to a woman of similar age, like me!"

"He was a figure of idiocy." The woman who was receiving the makeover said angrily, causing the mascara to smear.

"And so is his former assistant, Madame Morrible," yet another added.

"I heartily agree." Elphaba said loudly, stepping into full view. The ladies gasped. For a moment of panic, Elphaba thought some of her powder had rubbed off, but then one came over and took her sleeve, leading her to a stool.

"You could use a makeover _badly_." The lady said forcefully, "Maggie, I think you have a new project!" she nearly sang.

Elphaba was reminded strongly of Glinda. "No, really, I'm just looking for a dress. And I couldn't help but hear your conversation from over there. I've been away for a long time. What do you mean, Madame Morrible 'is'? Wasn't she in prison or something?" She asked, feigning confusion.

The ladies giggled. "Where _have _you been? Morrible was freed and is still the Press Secretary today." Makeup lady said with a harsh laugh.

"Oh…well, I guess I had better find out what's been going on while I was away. I should go buy a newspaper!" Elphaba stood up, "Do any of you know where there's a newsstand?"

But, just as she'd hoped, the bouncy lady pushed her back in her seat and stood before the group. "You want to know the latest news? Well, I'll tell you what I've heard…"

LADY 1: Our new ruler is a prissy girl - fresh

From her bright years at Shiz

She simply has no brain about politics, it's strange,

But her fashion sense is great so we love her anyway!

CHORUS: Yes, it's all very gossipy here, in town,

The tabloids have been turning things upside-down!

Who holds what position and who wears what crown?

Those are the rumors spreading all around…

LADY 2: The place of Secretary's filled by Morrible – horrible!

And she wears a new wig every day!

And what's with those dresses? They're more like fashion messes,

Though I tell you not to tell her anyway!

CHORUS: Yes, it's all very gossipy here, in town,

The tabloids have been turning things upside-down!

Who holds what position and who wears what crown?

Those are the rumors spreading all around…

LADY 3: The Royal Advisor, Boq the Tinman

Seems an unnaturally grim man

He clunks everywhere, giving children such a scare

It's a wonder he's allowed in the Palace!

Lady 4: I hear he's a statue come to life!

Lady 5: Well, you're wrong, he's a real man underneath.

Elphaba: But I thought he was cursed by the Wicked Witch of the East!

(gasps)

Lady 2: _No!_

Lady 1: _It can't be!_

Lady 3: _Absurd!_

Elphaba: Just what I've heard…

CHORUS: Yes, it's all very gossipy here in town,

The tabloids have been turning things upside-down!

Who holds what position and who wears what crown?

Those are the rumors spreading all around…

ELPHABA: But what's with all this news?

And spreading different views?

Where does this information come from?

I'm interested, it's true!

So tell me – what is new?

What has been happening lately?

LADIES 1 & 2: It's all about connections, dearie, right? Right!

And we're happy to say we have some good ones!

So sit back and relax,

We'll tell you all the facts

Everything you want to know and then some…

LADY 3: I hear rumors that Lady Glinda and Boq were caught kissing!

Though it seems they loathe each other!

Elphaba: _No!_

Lady 3: _Yes!_

LADY 4: And it seems her Goodness has a grudge with Morrible – horrible!

I've even heard that nickname came from her!

LADY 5: But who can know what's true,

We say, to you,

And things are happening right now!

So keep your eyes and ears open

For good, and know then

That rumors are already abound!

CHORUS: Yes, it's all very gossipy here in town,

The tabloids have been turning things upside-down!

Who holds what position and who wears what crown?

Those are the rumors spreading all around…

ALL: Here…in…town!!!!

"Well, thank you, ladies, for everything," Elphaba said standing up, "But I have to…meet someone, so I'd better be going."

"But you didn't even buy that dress!" Makeup lady said.

"Oh, yes…well, I'll just have to come back later. Maybe tomorrow. Thanks again!" Elphaba hurried down the stairs. If she'd stayed any longer, she knew one of them would insist she have a makeover, and that couldn't be risked. She swept out the door, pulling her hood over her face. She could see the Praux right down the street and deciding obtaining a room there would be her next move.

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A/N: Review!


	9. Off to See the Palace

A/N: No song this time...or next...or probably next. This is a little bit of a filler chapter, but not entirely...Fiyero and Elphie reunite, Glinda sees a little more of Boq's odd behavior.

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**Chapter Nine: Off to See the Palace**

Glinda stood in a fury in her guest parlor as she spoke to the Lion and Boq about the hag lady.

"What do you mean, "She is not available for contact?" Your guards hauled her off!" Glinda said angrily to the Lion, "And I want to talk to her!"

"I'm sorry, Lady Glinda, but that isn't possible. The woman had…an accident on the way to the interrogation room."

Glinda, glaring, stared the Lion straight in the eye. Taken aback, he shivered slightly with fear. "Tell me the truth!"

The Lion glanced at Boq, who had been standing at Glinda's shoulder the whole time and now stepped forward, laying a hand on her arm.

"Lion, leave me to take care of this," he said. The Lion, looking relieved, left.

"Glinda, what the Lion is trying to say is that the old had had a knife with her. While she was begin escorted out of the crowd, she took it out and killed herself. I'm sorry," Boq didn't sound sorry. On the contrary, he sounded happy.

Glinda didn't believe it for a minute. "You're lying," she said simply. "Now let me talk to her, or-˝

"Or what?" Boq asked softly, stepping forward, "What will you do? What can you do, Glinda?"

Glinda stepped back quickly, as if struck. Finally, she said softly, "Who's the real ruler here, Boq?"

He answered, just as softly, "That's what I'd like to know." And he sounded so much like himself, and the reply was so surprising, that Glinda took a hesitant step forward.

"Boq…"

But the tinman backed away, his face impassive again. "What can you do, Glinda?" he repeated quietly. Then his voice went back to normal. "Madame Morrible has canceled your appointments for this afternoon. I suggest you return to your room and try to get some rest. It's been a trying afternoon."

Glinda tried to protest. "What about the hag?"

Boq stepped close to Glinda and gave her a cold look that sent chills running down her spine. "I suggest you return to your room, _Miss Galinda_." He repeated forcefully.

"But…" she faltered. The look in Boq's eyes scared her into silence. "I-I'll be in my room if anyone needs me," she said, gathering as much of her dignity as she could.

"I thought you might be," Boq said, smiling triumphantly.

Glinda hurried to her room.

Once there, she sat on her bed. What was going in with Boq? He was acting _way _different from what she remembered of him from school. Always shy, always there, even when you didn't want him to be. Now he was acting very odd. Sometimes he seemed almost normal, but then a change would come over him and he would be strangely malicious again. And somehow he held a hold over her. He and Madame Morrible both. Glinda supposed both of them did know that she and Elphaba had been best friends. That was what scared her the most. What if the rest of Oz found out? They would try to kill her! No, she must go along with all of this for now. There wasn't anywhere to turn for help.

Thinking of Elphaba made Glinda grope under her bed until her hand found a familiar shape. She pulled out Elphaba's hat and sat on the window seat, staring out at the City. Its many green things reminded her of Elphaba and her green skin. She remembered what the hag had said, and tried out the words herself.

"Elphaba lives!" she said quietly. It made her feel better just saying it, so she put the hat on her own head. "If you live, Elphaba, come back," she whispered.

----------------------------

Fiyero looked down at the Emerald City. It was an amazing sight from the air, and Fiyero forgot to be afraid, if just for a moment. The Flying Monkeys had been flying with him all day, and now, close to sunset, they had finally gotten there. Chistery spoke in Fiyero's ear.

"We landing now, Fiewo." And they descended, Fiyero squeezing his eyes shut, feeling his nonexistent stomach drop once more. He felt his feet touch the ground, and his knees gave way, causing him to fall over. He stood up shakily while the Monkeys watched anxiously.

"Okay, I'm going in," he said pointing, "But it would probably be best if you all found somewhere to get cover. We don't want anyone to see you – they might put two and two together and alert someone."

"We go to forest," Chistery nodded, "We be safe there. You find Elphaba and fly back to us."

"All right. Stay hidden!" And Fiyero began his short hike to the City.

The road was fairly crowded, so Fiyero had no trouble blending in. Very few people looked at him, and he knew that if they saw him they would recognize him as the Scarecrow that was with Dorothy and not as a threat. Finally, he reached the City gates. The guards didn't look twice as he filtered in with everyone else around him.

Now, the problem was, he had no clue what to do now. Elphaba could be anywhere in this place! Fiyero forced himself to think. She would have gotten information from somewhere – probably directions to a place to stay. That was what he should do. It was a long shot, but hey - he could get lucky. He saw a vendor woman nearby and pushed his way through the crowd to get to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Have you, by chance, seen a woman in black today who stands out a little from the crowd?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. What's it to you?" The woman asked curiously.

Fiyero's heart leapt. "She's a good friend of mine, that's all. And I was supposed to meet her, but she didn't tell me where. Do you know where she might be?"

"I sent her to the Upland Department Store, then to the Praux Hotel, around lunchtime. Say, you're that Scarecrow that was there with that girl-"

"Thanks!" Fiyero interrupted her as he let the crowd sweep him up again. He saw a sign that said "The Praux" on it and decided to go there. Elphaba wouldn't have spent much time in a department store, so she was most likely at the hotel.

He got to the hotel quickly, losing only two or three strands of straw at the most. His cloth hands fumbled with the handle before he realized it was a push-open. Pushing hard, he entered the hotel.

It was a nice lobby, with a small lounge to one side and a counter straight across. Because of the time, the whole lobby was deserted except for a bored-looking Munchkin reading a book at the check-in counter. Fiyero crossed briskly to the Munchkin, who looked up lazily.

"Whaddya want?" He asked rudely.

"Did a young woman in a black dress and cloak come in here anytime today?"

"Mebbe." The Munchkin narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Any chance you'll tell me what room she's in?"

The Munchkin yawned.

"I didn't think so." Fiyero reached into his pocket and pulled out an Ozian bill, laying it on the counter. The Munchkin's eyes widened greedily. "How 'bout now?"

The Munchkin shuffled through some papers, his eyes scanning down the lists. Then he said, "Oh, yeah. Ms. Ellie Tarper. Room 113. That her?"

Fiyero hesitated, and then decided that it might be a codename and he should at least try it. "I think so, yes. And Room 113 is…?"

"Straight down that hallway, on the right." The Munchkin tucked the bill into his pocket, and then leaned back, his eyes back on the book.

Fiyero followed the Munchkin's instructions. When he found 113, he raised a hand and knocked. There was some muffled movement from inside, then Elphaba's voice came cautiously.

"Who is it?"

"Pizza delivery, Ms. Tarper!" Fiyero joked, "With a side of Scarecrow!"

The door opened a tiny crack and Elphaba peered out. Then it opened all the way and she reached out an arm and pulled Fiyero inside, shutting the door behind him.

"Fiyero! How did you get here?" she accused.

"Chistery and the other Monkeys gave me a ride to the outskirts," Fiyero explained.

"I told them to stay put!" Elphaba said furiously, her eyes glinting, "Didn't they tell you? Why did you come?"

Fiyero remembered what Boq had said then, and he pulled Elphaba in for a tight hug. Startled, she let herself be held for a moment, and then pulled away.

"What has gotten into you, Fiyero?" she asked, eyebrows arched.

"You may want to sit down," Fiyero told her. They both took a seat on the bed, and Fiyero told Elphaba all about his surprise meeting with Boq, and what he had said. By the end, Elphaba's again-green face had paled visibly, and her hands shook as she traced the patterns on the bed quilt.

"So Boq knows we're alive," she whispered fearfully, "and he wants revenge."

Fiyero nodded. "And he said he would be the Ruler of Oz soon, which means he plans on taking over from Glinda. Do you think he'll hurt her?"

Elphaba thought for a minute, and then shook her head. "He always liked Glinda. I don't think he'll do anything bad to her. All the same, we should do something, just in case…"

Fiyero knew what she was thinking. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go rescue Glinda!"

Elphaba looked up in surprise. "I thought you said that no one could ever know we are alive."

"Yes, but unfortunately, two some ones, maybe more, already do. I think it would be safer to get Glinda to a safe place. I have a feeling this isn't over yet – the final showdown has yet to take place."

"When did you get to be so all-knowing, Mr. Nothing Matters But Knowing Nothing Matters?"

"You taught me," he said gently. She came to him, and their lips met. The kiss was brief, but it gave both of them strength, knowing they would always have each other.

"To the Palace?" Elphaba asked.

"To the Palace." Fiyero confirmed as Elphaba took her bag and they left the room, Fiyero singing beneath his breath - something that sounded like 'We're off to see the Palace, the wonderful Palace of Oz…'

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A/N: Next chapter - the eminent reunion...Review!


	10. The Reunion

A/N: Okay, here it is! They all reunite!

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**Chapter Ten: The Reunion**

Glinda was infinitely bored. She had been doing pretty much nothing for hours, and longed for the old days when she would have had plenty of friends to entertain her. Now, she was alone and loveless. She had gotten out the Grimmerie and attempted to make sense of some of it, but so far had had little luck. It was much easier for her to perform little things with her own wand then it was to read difficult spells. One page had been folded down, and Glinda recognized it as the levitation spell Elphaba had used on the Monkeys and the broom. That was the one she had been practicing with, but so far all she had succeeded in doing was to make her shoe flop on the floor. Frightened of what a spell might do if not properly cast, she gave up.

Just then, there was a rap on her window. Startled, she looked up. What she saw made her jump to her feet and shriek. There, just outside her window, perched atop a broomstick, was what looked to be Elphaba and the Scarecrow that had accompanied Dorothy. Elphaba wore a grim smile, and the Scarecrow was grinning broadly.

Glinda rubbed her eyes. _It must be a hallucination,_ she told herself, _Elphaba is…wait!_ With a start, she remembered what the hag had said about Elphaba being alive. Could it be true? Could that really be Elphaba Thropp, just outside the window!? Could it? Barely able to contain her excitement, and yet at the same time wary, Glinda opened the window. The broom flew in and its riders slipped off. The two parties stood facing each other, Glinda on one side, Elphaba and the Scarecrow on the other.

"Glinda…" Elphaba said softly, her eyes welling up with tears, one trickling down her cheek. She winced, and wiped it away quickly.

"Elphie…?" Glinda whispered, not sure whether to believe it. It sounded like Elphaba, but she'd had dreams like this so many nights since Elphaba died. What if this was just one more?

"Well, are you going to give this unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe steamed artichoke a hug, or what?" Elphaba demanded wryly, her voice wobbly.

That was all it took to convince Glinda. She flew forward, nearly knocking Elphaba over as she hugged her tightly. Elphaba returned the embrace. Both girls sobbed uncontrollably, Elphaba clearly in pain but too happy to notice. To Fiyero it looked as if they would squeeze each other to death.

"Elphie, I…" but Glinda was crying too hard.

"Glinda, I…" But Elphaba was too.

The hug seemed to go on for eternity, both girls getting all the affection they needed out of the other's embrace. It made all their memories rush up to the surface, causing more tears, and then they were pushed below the surface as it was only this moment that mattered. For that one moment, all enmities were gone, all former fights. It was only them and their friendship. Nothing else was important.

Finally, still sniffling, they broke apart, each surveying the other.

"You look good," Elphaba said, "but there are circles under your eyes."

"Yours, too," Glinda said, managing a watery laugh.

"I missed you so much!" Elphaba said feelingly, squeezing Glinda's hand, holding it between her own.

"I missed _you_!" Glinda said, putting her other hand over Elphaba's, so that their hands were clasped together, "I thought you were dead!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Glinda. I didn't want it to be like that, but it was the safest thing to do. We - I was afraid more people would find out, and come after me again. I also figured it would be easier for you to think I was dead then know I was alive but that you could never see me again. I honestly never thought I'd come back. But I had to."

Glinda looked unappeased, but she rubbed Elphaba's hands. "I'm sorry about Nessarose, Elphaba. I know you can probably never forgive me for that, but I was really mad when you ran off with Fiyero. I didn't think they would hurt her. And about Fiyero. I'm sorry. I would never want him dead."

Elphaba bit her lip. Before she could say anything, Fiyero cleared his throat. Glinda turned to him immediately.

"Oh, thank you, Scarecrow. You must have something to do with this. I don't know how Elphaba convinced you she was good, but thank you_ so_ much! You've brought me back my best friend. How I can I ever repay you?"

Fiyero and Elphaba exchanged a look. "Glinda, about Fiyero…well, he didn't die, either." Elphaba said slowly.

Glinda looked perplexed. "He…what? He's alive?! But how?"

Elphaba took Fiyero's hand and Glinda's hand then nodded her head at Fiyero. "Glinda, meet Fiyero Tiggular the Scarecrow."

"What!!!!! Fiyero!!??" Glinda shouted in disbelief, "Is it you?"

"In the flesh," Fiyero grinned, "Or rather straw, I suppose."

Letting out a squeal, Glinda sprang forward and hugged him tightly. Their embrace lasted only a few seconds as Glinda backed up and gave Elphaba an accusatory look.

"You said he was dead!"

"First of all, I said we'd seen his face for the last time, which we had, almost. His face does look different. And secondly, it was for the same reason that we made you believe I was dead. It was safer. I'm so sorry, Glinda. You have to believe me – we thought it was for the better."

Glinda sighed. "I'm really glad both of you are alive," she said finally with a weak but genuine smile. Then she swung around and slapped Elphaba.

Elphaba cackled. "Feel better now?"

"Yes, I do," Glinda said, smiling. Elphaba smiled, too.

"Good. So do I."

Then Glinda turned around and started hitting Fiyero repeatedly. He couldn't feel anything, so he rolled his eyes at Elphaba. Glinda continued to hit him, muttering incomprehensibly, "…cheating…liar…" Then, taking Fiyero by surprise, she collapsed into his arms. He gently guided her to her bed and deposited her on it. Elphaba sat beside her.

"What's wrong?"

Glinda was sobbing again. "I'm so happy, I could…melt!"

"Don't make me laugh!" Elphaba said with a laugh. Then she grew entirely serious, "Don't."

Glinda glared at her.

Fiyero looked confused. "Am I missing something?"

"Yes. A brain." Elphaba supplied.

"Hey, I have a…a…a dip…ummmm…"

"A diploma?"

"Yeah, that thing! Which is more than you can say!"

Now it was Elphaba's turn to glare.

"Oh, it seems the artichoke is steamed!" Fiyero said triumphantly, which made Glinda laugh appreciatively. Even Elphaba smiled reluctantly.

"I really am glad both of you are alive," Glinda said happily, hugging herself, "you can't possibly know what it feels like to think the two closest people to you are dead, and then find out they are both alive and have come back to you. I feel the best I've felt in forever!"

"I do, too," Elphaba admitted, "I knew you were alive, but I didn't we'd ever see each other again." Fiyero nodded his agreement.

"But here we are…" Glinda said softly, her voice trailing off in contentment. Then she frowned. "What made you two come back, if you thought you never would?"

That took the smiles from the other two's faces.

"Glinda, we have bad news. Boq, he's…well, he's planning on taking over Oz." Elphaba said.

"What?" Glinda said, for what felt like the millionth time that night, "Boq is…huh?"

Fiyero quickly proceeded to tell her everything Boq had said to him at Kiamo Ko. "…and, as I said before, he wants revenge on Elphaba. We thought it would be safer to come get you, in case they put you in a bad situation." He concluded.

"So _that's _why he's been acting so odd!" Glinda exclaimed.

"What?" Elphaba asked, frowning.

"Boq's been acting really strange. One minute he's normal old Boq, and the next he acts all evil and insane." Glinda explained what had happened earlier that day.

"That doesn't sound like Boq," Elphaba agreed. "According to Fiyero, that's pretty much how he was acting with him. And he had some kind of magic with him. It made him and the Lion disappear."

"Maybe he and Madame Morrible are in league with each other," Fiyero suggested, "We know Morrible knows sorcery. And maybe…maybe Morrible's sort of controlling him, too!" he said excitedly, "It would make sense! We've always suspected she's the evil mastermind behind everything."

"Maybe," Elphaba said, thinking hard. "Or maybe Boq is acting of his own accord."

"Unlikely," Glinda declared, "But whatever it is, he's a threat."

"Exactly, so we think it would be best for you to come with us until we plan what to do," Elphaba said.

Glinda shook her head. "I should stay here. If I go, Boq will be able to openly conduct a search – he and Morrible are next in command if I leave. He might even say that I was kidnapped, making the search even more vigorous. But if I stay, he can't do anything yet. And I can pretend I don't know you're alive."

"Well…we'll see," Elphaba said slowly.

"Good. But for now, let's just talk, please! I don't have anything all evening. We're safe to catch up."

Elphaba agreed to the idea, but Fiyero pretend-gagged. "Uh. Spare me the girl talk! Is there a place where I can get something to drink around here?"

"There's a bar, the Dancing Emerald, right down the road. It should be right up your alley," Glinda winked.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea." Elphaba said quickly.

"Oh, Elphie, he'll be fine! Don't you trust him?"

Elphaba seemed to cheer up at hearing her nickname, but still hesitated. Fiyero gave her a sad look, which made her burst out laughing.

"Oh, get going, you lump of straw!" she said, waving her hand at him dismissively.

Happily, Fiyero trotted over to the open window and threw himself out of it. Elphaba and Glinda ran to the window and looked down. Fiyero was safe on the street, tucking some straw back into him. Then he gave the girls the thumbs-up and turned down the road.

Glinda bounced back onto the bed, Elphaba following more slowly.

"So, tell me, where have you been?" Glinda asked, "You could use a makeover, you know…"

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A/N: Review!


	11. The Dancing Emerald

A/N: This chapter is way out there. It's one of my favorite chapters in the whole thing, just because it was fun to write! Humor. You'll see...

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**Chapter Eleven:** **The Dancing Emerald**

Fiyero found the bar easily enough. It was fairly crowded, with the atmosphere of a place where men went to talk and drink. The Emerald City got such strange types that none of the men looked twice at Fiyero as he strode up to the counter where a sallow-looking Quadling was wiping off glasses. The Quadling looked up when Fiyero approached and gave him the once-over.

"What kin I get ya, friend?"

Fiyero guessed he'd better stay sober. "Just…lemonade. You do have that, don't you?"

"Yerp." The bartender fetched a bottle of yellow liquid and poured some into a glass, "Firs' one's on the house."

"Thanks," Fiyero took a seat at an empty table in the corner.

Behind him, the bartender lifted a walkie-talkie. "He's here. I gave him a strong drink. Tastes like lemonade. Will continue to monitor. Herman out."

Fiyero drank the 'lemonade' quickly. It tasted a little off, but was good nevertheless. He went back for another one, putting a coin on the counter. And another. And another. Each one made him feel a little lighter and less controlled, but the feeling was so good…Fiyero was too naïve to realize he was becoming drunk. Fast.

A couple more men came in, got drinks, and joined Fiyero at his table. The bar was ever changing, as men left and others came in. Fiyero kept getting more drinks. Finally, one of his tablemates got up.

"I've gotta go – Mira'll kill me if I'm not in by eleven."

"Ah, attack of the wives," the other said good-naturedly, also standing, "Probably should get home myself. Jess can be a real witch sometimes." Both men guffawed aggressively.

Fiyero laughed heartily, too, causing both men to look at him. "My girlfriend _is _a witch. The Wicked Witch of the West."

"No way!" the first man laughed.

"You're joking, right?" the other asked.

"Nope. She's the real thing."

The men, who were heavily drunk, looked interested now. One sat back down – the other called out, "Hey, everybody, this guy over here's girlfriend is the Wicked Witch of the West!"

The other men in the bar laughed, too, but they pulled up chairs all the same.

"This should be good," one laughed.

"Well, let's hear it," another said cheerfully, slopping beer down himself.

"Hey, Herman, let's get another round of drinks for our friend over here." A third said excitedly.

The bartender brought over a tray of drinks. Fiyero took one and downed it before leaning back in his seat.

"Now, first of all, her name is really Elphaba. Repeat after me."

"Repeat after me," the crowd said like a bunch of kids at a sing-a-long.

"Elph-a-ba," Fiyero said in a singsong voice.

"Elph-ab-a," the crowd repeated.

"Good! Now, me and her were friends at Shiz University. We also knew Glinda the Good."

"Awesome!" one patron with a nametag saying 'Stan' on it said enthusiastically.

"Yep. And then after school, I ran away with her, and she turned me into a scarecrow to save my life. She's special, Elphie is. And she's real smart."

"But wicked!"

"No, no, no. See, look, I made up a song – "We all mourn the wicked, now at last, she's not dead…" 'Cause everyone thinks she's dead, ya know?"

"Righteous. I always wanted people to think I was dead," Stan said excitedly.

"Yeah, and listen to this…"

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Back in Glinda's bedroom, Elphaba and Glinda were talking up a storm, as if they were still back at school.

"Oh Elphie, that was so funny, when you came in _doing_ 'The Elphie!'" Glinda squealed in a girlish way, clearly having forgotten about her composure.

"Remember that time-˝ Elphaba stopped suddenly, seemingly staring off into space, "That's odd…"

"Elphie? What is it? What do you see?" Glinda asked anxiously.

"It…it doesn't make any sense…It's Fiyero, but he's…he's dancing on a table!? I have to go to him!"

"I'll come with you!"

"No, it's all right, I'll be right back. Besides, we can't have the Supreme Ruler of Oz making visits to public bars, can we?"

Elphaba jumped on her broomstick and soared down to the street, waving up at Glinda. Then she leaned the broomstick against the wall in the shadow of a dumpster and went around the corner.

The Dancing Emerald was right in front of her, so she went up to the door and pulled it open. Immediately, a long line of drunk men led by Fiyero congaed out.

"Dancing through life…!" Fiyero shouted, trailing off when he saw Elphaba glaring at him, "Um…Backwards now!" He announced, and the whole line went backwards, knocking over a table and falling in a heap on the floor.

"Come on, Fiyero, we're leaving," Elphaba said forcefully, crossing her arms angrily.

"But we haven't gotten to the chorus yet!" Fiyero protested, "Ya know, "Nothing natters but growing mothing natters…Or something like that…"

Elphaba seized one of Fiyero's legs and began to drag him through the bar to the door.

"Noooo!" he wailed, taking hold of a table leg, "I was just about to tell them how me and Glinda were engaged!"

Elphaba dropped his leg, and Fiyero slowly got to his feet, leaning against the table for support. "Exactly how much have you told them?" she asked testily. The look she was giving Fiyero clearly meant 'Don't answer that,' but Fiyero wasn't paying attention.

"They loved 'The Elphie.'"

"Fiyero!!!" The candlelight flickered and a light wind seemed to whip through the place.

"Oh yeah. And that guy said he thinks the hat is sexy."

"WHAT!!!???" The wind picked up, and suddenly it seemed as if a mini-cyclone was sweeping through the place, picking up all the drunken men and swirling around with them. Even Fiyero was caught up in it.

One man panicked. "We're all going to die! It's the end of the world!" He shouted over and over.

"Chill dude. It's all good." Stan said calmly.

"Come on!" Elphaba said, pulling Fiyero out of the cyclone. Fiyero responded with puppy-dog eyes. "Oh, no you don't! Come on NOW!" and she pulled Fiyero out of the bar.

As soon as the door shut behind them, the wind died down. The men toppled to the floor, shaking their heads, and then sat back down in their chairs as if nothing had happened. The man who had panicked fainted.

Herman the bartender spoke shakily into the walkie-talkie, "The Scarecrow has left the building with the Witch. I repeat, they have left the building."

Stan dropped into his chair, staring at the door. "Whoa."

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A/N: Review!


	12. An Unpleasant Situation

A/N: Sorry this took longer than usual, but I went out of town over the weekend and I didn't get a chance to update until now! Hope this longish chapter makes up for it!

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**Chapter Twelve: An Unpleasant Situation**

Elphaba half guided, half dragged Fiyero back to her broom, and then she held onto him with one hand while flying the broom up to the window. They landed, Fiyero falling to the floor. Elphaba looked up, expecting some sort of greeting from Glinda, but there was none.

The room was empty. And the door was open.

Elphaba hurried to it and looked down the hall. There was no one along the corridor. She turned toward Glinda's bathroom, intending to see whether that room was unoccupied, when the door swung shut with a bang. And the closet door opened slowly at the same time.

Boq was in there. One hand held his axe tightly – the other had a strong grip around Glinda's waist, pinning her arms to her sides.

Elphaba raised her broom in front of her like a spear.

Boq shook his head slightly, raising the axe to Glinda's throat. "Don't you dare, unless you wish to explain to all Oz how you watched while Glinda the Good was slain."

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Elphie, be careful!" yelped Glinda, struggling in Boq's grasp. She kicked him hard, but the heel on her shoe merely broke and her eyes screwed up in pain as her legs gave way. Boq released her, allowing her to collapse to the floor. "Those were my favorite shoes," she whispered, as a tear trickled down her cheek.

Elphaba automatically started to go to her, but Boq raised the axe threateningly. "Don't come any closer!"

Just then, two guards ran into the room, spears raised. Elphaba turned to face them, cape swirling. Fiyero jumped in front of her to guard her, but because he was drunk he staggered forward and was speared onto one of the guard's spears. The guard jumped back in shock, and began to wave his spear around frantically, sending straw flying everywhere.

Elphaba turned back towards Boq, raising her hands with a flourish. "Let the Scarecrow go, or the tinman will be the first to die."

"She's bluffing! She doesn't know any spells!" Boq shouted warningly.

"On the contrary. I know two by heart. One will make you painfully sprout wings and the other will…actually, I'm not really sure what the other does. But think what might happen if I was to forget some of the correct words...if could be bad for you, if the spell wasn't properly cast." She gave an exaggerated sigh, tensing up. "But if you're sure..."

"Wait!" Boq looked a little afraid. He nodded. "All right. Get him."

Elphaba pulled Fiyero off the spear. He began to stuff himself back together quickly.

Suddenly, Elphaba swung her broom backward, but Boq, anticipating this, grabbed it right away and flung it against the wall, where it settled gently.

"Thought you'd be pretty foxy, did you? Well, I can play games, too." Boq nearly cackled. He signaled to the guards, one of whom cornered Elphaba. The other flung his arm out and it hit Fiyero, who had just stood up, knocking him against the wall.

Glinda squealed and slammed her other heel into the guard nearest her. He screamed in pain and backed into Fiyero, who, predictably, had just regained his feet. They both toppled over. At the same time, the other guard brought his gun around to Elphaba's neck. She froze.

"Enough of this! Guards, take Ms. Glinda the Good to my chamber. Lock her in." Boq instructed.

In answer, Glinda tried to grab her wand, but Boq was standing on it. The guard with the heel in his leg pulled it out and tossed it behind him, where it hit Fiyero, who had propped himself up and was promptly knocked over once more. The guard took hold of Glinda's arm and pulled her up; the other reluctantly positioned himself on her other side. They then hauled the sobbing Glinda out of the room.

Elphaba began to move in that direction, but Boq barred her way. She turned instead to Fiyero, who was in pieces on the floor because of his numerous falls.

"Well, that's me all over," he said, retching violently on the carpet.

"Pull yourself together," Elphaba winced. Then she turned to Boq, "You won't get away with this. You'll pay for all the pain you've caused. Just wait."

"Don't move," he warned, though slightly nervously, "Or I'll make sure you get a smashing visit from a nice flying house."

Elphaba stood still for about two seconds after that order before flinging her hand out to the broom. It flew to her, and she hopped on it. She swooped down for Fiyero, but saw to her horror that he was still in pieces – his leg was halfway across the room. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Then she flew out the window, her last words echoing, "I'll be back for you, Fiyero! And for you, _Biq_."

Boq ran to the window and shook his fist. "Just try to stay away! Just you try! I'll get you my pretty, and your little broomstick, too!"

Then he turned back to Fiyero, who was seemingly unconscious. He smirked and called out the door, "You can come in!"

Madame Morrible, who had been waiting outside the whole time, came into the room. "Wonderful. Everything went as planned. I heard it all from out there – the Witch escaped?"

"Yes – it would have been a bonus to capture her as well, but I didn't expect that it would happen. Now the Witch will come back for her boyfriend, and we will capture her as well. Now, I believe we should go speak to our good Ruler."

"What about Fiyero - the Scarecrow?"

"Oh, he won't be any trouble," Boq answered.

Behind him, Fiyero was creeping up with the abandoned axe held over his head and a triumphant smile on his face. Madame Morrible, who was leaving the room, didn't see him. Just as he was prepared to hit Boq over the head, the axe slipped out of his cloth hands and banged him on the head instead, knocking him unconscious.

Boq looked behind him, undisturbed, and sighed. "No. He won't be any trouble at all."

----------------------

Back in the hotel room, Elphaba paced anxiously. She hadn't planned for anything like that to happen. Her plan was to take Glinda back to the room with her and Fiyero, where they would formulate a plan. She definitely did not count on any captures. And now she had to work solo again to rescue her friends.

"Okay, my plan is this," Elphaba told herself softly, as if telling it aloud would make it more reassuring, "I go back in a few hours, when pretty much everyone is asleep. I know where the Palace dungeons are…I think…and Fiyero has to be down there. I'll get one of the Guards to tell me where he is, and then I will rescue him and we can figure out how to save Glinda. For now, I'm sure she's too well guarded. Plus I don't know where Boq's room is. Okay. A few hours."

She sat down on the bed, forcing herself to remain awake, but she felt her eyelids becoming heavy as lead. She hadn't had any sleep for a few days.

"I can't go…to sleep…" Elphaba yawned. But it was no use. She sank her head into the pillow and was out in an instant.

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"Let me out! Do you hear me! Let me out!" Glinda pounded on the door aggressively. It opened, startling her into backing onto a couch.

"Glinda?"

It was the tinman himself, accompanied by Madame Morrible.

"What do you want?" she asked miserably.

"Glinda, this is for your own good. We don't want to hurt you," Boq said gently, sounding completely like his old self.

Glinda let out a hysterical laugh, "Oh yes, I can certainly see how this is good! You abduct me in my own bedroom, and then attempt to capture my friends, and then you lock me in here. And on top of that, I might have broken my ankle, but it's all for my own good. Uh-huh."

"I forgot about your ankle. I never meant to harm you." Boq said, sounding almost sincere. Glinda uncurled slightly.

"Well, you have. You have harmed me."

"Let me see your ankle," Madame Morrible ordered, leaning forward. Glinda recoiled at first, but then allowed it to be examined.

"It's not broken," Morrible said, "But I suppose next time you'll think twice before kicking tin!" she turned to Boq, "Do you-˝

He nodded and went to his bathroom, coming back with a roll of bandage material. In no time, Morrible had the ankle bandaged.

"You'll need to be gentle on it for a while, but you'll be better in no time," she said.

Glinda folded her arms and glared at the pair of them, "You can stop pretending you actually care now."

Boq looked hurt. "We do care! Or at least I do! Glinda, you know I've loved you since I first met you. I just want you to be safe."

"Oh, I feel honored. While the rest of Oz suffers and my friends are killed, I get to be safe. Thanks a lot for the extra attention."

Boq's eyes narrowed. "If it makes you feel any better, your _friends _both got away." Morrible shot him a look, but he shook his head once and she remained silent.

"They did? Good. And I hope they stay away." Glinda said, obviously relieved, "Whatever the purpose of locking me up is, I don't want them to share in the eminent disaster."

"This is for your own good," Boq insisted, "I promise. If you cooperate, everything will be okay. You can help me, and together we can-˝

"Boq, shut up! First of all, I can't help you; you want to kill my best friend. And why should I help you? You are clearly evil, and I am Glinda the _Good_."

"Glinda, I don't want to force you…" Boq said, his tone teetering on threatening once again.

"Force me to do what?" Glinda asked suspiciously.

"You need to make a speech to the public tomorrow morning. It's already been announced. I need you to hand equal powers to Madame Morrible and I. Announce a tri-ruled government."

Glinda burst out laughing. "You're joking, right? Like I would be dumb enough to do that!"

"Glinda, you know, I _can _force you, but I'd rather you do it of your own free will."

"No!"

"Then you leave me no choice. Do you remember Pfanee and Shen-Shen?"

"Yes…"

"If you don't make this speech tomorrow, something bad might happen…"

"You have them!?" Glinda's eyes widened.

"Yes. And if you don't make this speech, I might be forced to do something drastic."

"You wouldn't dare."

Boq shrugged.

Glinda exploded, "And yet you CARE about me, right? This is all for my own GOOD! You LOVE me! Oh, I can easily see where this all makes sense! Fine, I'll make your DUMB speech! But I want you to know I loathe you! Loathing, unadulterated loathing," she chanted, "And I ALWAYS will!" And she flung herself onto her feet, gasping in pain, and then hobbled as quickly as she could into the bathroom, where she slammed the door so hard a glass vase on Boq's cabinet fell and shattered.

"I think she took that rather well," Morrible said after a moment of silence, "But why didn't you want her to know that we have Fiyero?"

"That might be brought to our advantage later. We have use for him elsewhere. Our plans should not overlap. All is still going according to plan…"

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A/N: Review!


	13. Escape and Capture

A/N: Yeah, this is a really short chapter, but I just updated two days ago, so I think that's okay.

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**Chapter Thirteen: Escape and Capture**

Fiyero sat cross-legged in a cell in the Palace dungeon, head between his hands. The place was cold, dark, and smelled like rats. But you couldn't be choosy about your place of imprisonment.

The only indication of time was the moonlight filtering from under a crack in the stone wall and the only sounds were rats scuffling and squeaking. The guard who had brought Fiyero in some hours ago had disappeared down the corridor.

Fiyero wasn't scared. He had learned too much from Elphaba to be frightened of a cell. Especially one with no fire nearby. Besides, he was going through his hangover, and fear was _not _was he was feeling. No, most of all, Fiyero wondered what would happen next. He had no doubt that Elphaba would come back to rescue him, but when? He couldn't be sure. Elphaba was very unpredictable. There was nothing to do now except wait – and try to make himself as comfortable as possible in the meantime.

No sooner had he thought this then there was a thud from down the way, and footsteps were heard coming at a brisk pace. He stood up and walked to the bars, pressing his face against them as the figure came into view.

It was Elphaba! There was no mistaking her green face with her black cloak drawn over it and her combat boots. Plus, she held the broom in her hand.

"Elphaba!"

"Fiyero! Thank goodness!" She ran to him, taking his hand through the bars, "I was afraid the guard might have lied to me."

"The guard? What did you do?"

She blushed. "I just asked him a couple questions, and then knocked him out. He won't remember a thing when he wakes up. No permanent damage."

"What took you so long?" he teased.

Her face flushed again. "I sort of…fell asleep."

"You what? I was in this dungeon, and you _fell asleep_?"

She ignored that last question, and instead said quickly, "We'd better get you out of here, before anyone comes." She lifted a rusty ring of keys and fitted one into the lock, turning it so that there was a click. Then she pulled while Fiyero pushed, and together the two of them managed to open the door.

Elphaba pulled Fiyero into a quick but warm embrace, then urged, "Come on! Hurry!"

The two of them ran down the dark passageway, passing the unconscious guard and climbing a flight of steps to a wide-open gate. They slipped out into the waning night and went a short distance before stopping in a deserted alley.

"I think we're okay now," Elphaba said.

"We need to figure out how to help Glinda," Fiyero reminded her.

She nodded. "I know. Maybe we should go back to the hotel. We can fly up." Fiyero agreed, and the two of them began to work their way through the sleeping City to the Praux.

Several times, Fiyero thought he heard noises, footsteps, behind them, but he attributed them to his jumpiness because of the pressing silence. Elphaba glanced backwards several times as well, but she didn't say anything, so neither did Fiyero.

The labyrinth of alleys was confusing at night, and not near as clear on foot as in the air. It was taking them a long time, and both were beginning to wonder if they had gotten the direction wrong. That boutique looked familiar…were they walking in circles? A rat scurrying around their feet made them both jump with fright.

There was a thud and a shout from close behind them, and both froze instantly.

"Elphaba…" Fiyero began fearfully.

"Run!" she whispered. They ran. Now whoever was behind them was no longer hiding their chase; there were heavy footsteps and shouts. Elphaba led the way down an alley, only to hear shouts coming from that side, too. She veered right and dashed down a narrow sub-alley, Fiyero nearly falling over trying to follow. There was a choice to make now – left or right? They chose left. Another turn and another. Backtrack here, make a U-turn here.

Whoever was chasing them was catching up – both could sense that. Unfortunately, they had no clue where they were going. All sense of direction had been lost long ago, as they dodged down alleys, changing direction constantly.

The sun began to rise, coloring the sky. The chase was still heated, but the pursued were losing their breath. Finally, Elphaba stopped running, causing Fiyero to run into her.

"Get on," she said, holding out the broom, "I didn't want to put us in plain view, but we have to do something fast." Fiyero hopped on, and they rose into the sky.

For the first time, they could see who had been chasing them. It was a good portion of the Palace guards, laden with spears and guns. There was a shout. They guards had seen them. Elphaba put the broom into motion, flying towards the forest in the distance. There were bangs from the guns below, but they all missed.

Then there was another bang, and a sudden jerk of the broom. It had been hit, splintering off the brush end and almost unseating Fiyero in the process. Unable to keep the broom under control, Elphaba circled to the ground, causing both of them to fall about seven feet above the ground – right in the Central Square of the City. And there were guards surrounding them.

Elphaba, bruised, rose to her feet, pulling Fiyero up with her. They huddled together as they were surrounded.

"Elphaba," Fiyero whispered, "You know I love you, right?"

"I love you, too," Elphaba replied quietly.

Then the guards lunged forward as one, pulling the two apart, holding them tightly so that neither could move. And, as if in a dramatic movie scene, they were dragged backwards, each in a separate direction.

"Elphaba!" Fiyero shouted.

"Fiyero!" Elphaba screamed.

And in that moment, both had, finally, lost hope.

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A/N: Review!


	14. Betrayal

A/N: Another sort of short chapter, but it seemed the best place to stop.

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**Chapter Fourteen: Betrayal**

Glinda was awakened by someone shaking her roughly. She rolled over, muttering, but the covers were pulled off, and she sat up, shocked by the cold of morning. Madame Morrible was standing before her, holding a dress and her wand and tiara.

"Speech time."

Glinda went to the bathroom slowly, being gentle on her sprained ankle, and got dressed, fixing her hair the best she could with no tools to work with. Then she slid the tiara on her head, grasped her wand, and practiced smiling. It was hard.

Giving up, she went out with a crutch and followed Morrible down the hall to the public address room. Boq was there, along with her ministers. They smiled genuinely at her, so she realized they were not part of Boq's plan. At least not all of them. The balcony doors were closed, but through the glass she could hear the restless murmuring of the waiting crowd.

"Now remember, make it convincing," Boq said warningly, "And everything will be fine." He took the crutch.

Glinda glared at him, but did not reply as she threw open the doors and strode out to the balcony, trying to hide her limp. Morrible followed her, and stood slightly behind. The crowd cheered when they saw Glinda, and she smiled, waiting until they calmed down before she spoke.

"My dear Ozians, today I come before you to announce a further change in government. I know it hasn't been long since my last public address, but my ministers and I have come up with an even better way to run Oz. A dramatic change-˝ But at that moment a wave of sorrow came over her, and she turned towards Boq. He gave her a warning glance. Madame Morrible took her arm and squeezed it, causing Glinda to stagger slightly. The crowd gasped in concern, but Glinda gave a shaky laugh and steadied herself.

"No, no, please don't worry about me. I'm just a little…under-the-weather this morning. As I was saying, a dramatic change is, from this day forward, to be put into effect. Oz will no longer be ruled by one person alone, but by three." There were several boos, but these were drowned out by all the curious whispers. Glinda fought to make herself heard. "Please, settle down! Quiet!"

An immediate silence fell over the crowd. "These three people will, of course, be me, Glinda the Good," Here applause burst forth, "And my Press Secretary, Madame Morrible," More applause, "And my advisor, Boq the Tinman." Thunderous applause filled the square, along with numerous whistles and cheers. Glinda began to cry, as she knew she was condemning the land she loved. Morrible gave her a handkerchief and patted her back in a motherly fashion.

"See our dear Glinda," she called out, "How she cries with joy because of all your smiling faces!" That made Glinda stop crying as she gave Morrible a watery glare that from below would have passed as a smile. When the Ozians had finally quieted, Glinda prepared her finale.

"This basically means that they will have the power to make important decisions without my aid. I hope – _we _hope – that no longer having only one ruler will eliminate the threat of what happened with the Wizard. Even the best of us can sometimes fall…melt, if you will, under strain." She dabbed at an eye as a group of teens up front started chanting "Dear Glinda, you are just too good!" over and over.

"I know this decision is met with some reluctance, but rest assured, you will soon see what good it can do. We need to bring life back to this land, my subjects, because can't you see how our dear Oz is becoming less and less… colorful?" With that, she shot her wand up in the air, and fireworks burst forth, lighting up the gray sky with fabulous colors and falling to the crowd as flowers. The Ozians cheered and yelled compliments to Glinda, who, after a short-lived fake smile, left the crowd to Morrible and marched off the balcony.

"Perfect," Boq whispered in her ear, "Absolutely perfect. Who knew you could handle pressure so well. Now-˝

"I want to see Pfanee and Shen-Shen. Now. And if you've done something to them, I'll-˝

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find they are perfectly safe," Boq said, smiling, "In fact…you two can come out now!"

Pfanee and Shen-Shen stepped out from behind the open doors. They smiled weakly as Glinda sprang forward, letting out a squeal and hugging both girls tightly.

"Oh, you two are safe! Thank goodness! It's been too long. I only wish these were happier circumstances. I've really missed you, we grew apart…" Glinda knew she was babbling and forced herself to remain silent, beaming at them both. She expected return hug, or at least a laugh at the return of her schoolgirl behavior. Even a sign of relief at being rescued would have been something. But they both looked at the floor, shuffling nervously.

"What's wrong? _Did _he hurt you? Did you hurt them?" Glinda demanded, turning to Boq angrily.

"No, they are quite unharmed, I assure you," Boq said with a sneer, "But they do have something to tell you. They were just returning from a cup of tea upstairs, weren't you girls? You see, Glinda, they weren't prisoners."

"Why you awful, evil, horrible…_tinny _tinman! How could you say that? You use them as leverage, and then have the _nerve _to lie to me!" Glinda angrily raised her wand, but it was plucked out of her hand from behind by Morrible, who was done addressing the crowd.

"I'll take that back now, dear," she said, handing the wand to a guard at her shoulder, who hurried away with it, "Wouldn't want to have any accidents, would we?"

Fuming, Glinda turned back to her two old friends. "Pfanee, Shen-Shen, tell me what he did to make you both so desolate. Did he starve you? Hit you? What?"

Hesitantly, Shen-Shen took a step forward. Glinda closed the gap and took her hands gently, squeezing them reassuringly. "Oh, Shen-Shen, your hands are so…cold." She smiled sadly, "And clammy. You must be nervous about something. They feel like that time before the exam. Do you remember? We called you Clammy Shenny for a week! What's wrong?"

Shen-Shen pulled her hands away and looked at the ground. "Glinda – I…we – I mean, Pfanee and I – we're not who you think we are."

Glinda laughed. "Silly! You're Shen-Shen from Gillikin Country. And you never could keep your mouth shut! Aren't you?" Her brow furrowed.

"Times are changing, Glinda. The truth is, Pfanee and I…well, we…we work for Boq now. It was all a…a setup. I'm sorry!"

"What?" Glinda stepped back, "You mean all this time…the two of you – behind my back…?"

"No, Glinda, it wasn't like that!" Pfanee protested.

"Actually, it was," Boq said.

"How could you? I thought you were my friends!" Glinda said disbelievingly.

"It seemed the right thing to do at the time…it still does. Glinda, we just want to cleanse Oz! To make it a better place. To rid it of everything that is a threat – like the Witch!"

"Elphaba is my best friend! And all of you are ten million times wickeder then she is! I have never met a more passionate person! And she wants to do what's right! She never meant to hurt anyone. But you do! And this is for my own good, right Boq? Making me suffer under my friend's betrayals is _good_? You're _insane_! And I hate you!" And with that she rushed at him, prepared to bruise herself to death hitting him over and over, but Pfanee and Shen-Shen held her back. She kicked them with her good leg and they released her, so she raced down the hall instead, ignoring the pain.

She heard Boq clanking behind her, heard the others shout, but she had a head start, and they couldn't catch up. Then the Lion came catapulting out of a door about ten feet ahead of her, so she skidded to a stop, falling over. He leapt with a roar, and landed gently on all four paws, standing over her. She was afraid to move, even though the Lion, looking around anxiously, seemed more terrified then she was.

Boq and the others caught up, and the Lion got off of Glinda. Madame Morrible pulled her to her feet, and two guards that had followed the Lion out too her arms securely. Boq came close so that his face was inches from hers. She stared him squarely in the eye.

"You think you've done well, trying to escape, don't you?" Boq challenged, "Well, I have a secret – we captured Elphaba and Fiyero early this morning. We have them right now. And your little charade will cost them. I want my revenge on them. I can't wait forever!" And he stalked off, signaling to the guards to take a now terrified Glinda away.

"No! Don't hurt them! Please don't hurt them! No!"

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A/N: Review!


	15. Cell Thoughts

A/N: Here we go, chapter fifteen. That is...if anyone's still reading this.

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**Chapter Fifteen: Cell Thoughts**

Elphaba woke with a sharp pain in the back of her head. She rubbed it with her hand, flinching, and then opened her eyes. There was no difference. For a minute, she panicked. Then she felt the stone floor beneath her and the events of the morning came back to her in a rush. The chase, the capture, and then the blow to the back of her head to render her helpless.

She felt her head carefully with a hand and found the spot where it hurt. There was a small amount of dried blood, matting her hair, and there would definitely be a bruise. Carefully, Elphaba did a synopsis of the rest of her body and found to her relief that she was otherwise unharmed.

She stood, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. It looked like she was in a small rectangular cell, about six feet across and five feet wide. Tiny. Beyond the bars, there was a room with a chair and two tables. The room was also small. And there was one more thing: she was alone.

Elphaba decided to try standing up. Shakily, she pushed up off the concrete floor and straightened. A pang of pain shot through her head, and she grasped the bars of her prison for support. Her knees wobbled, so she sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. A tear pricked the corner of her eye, and she let out a sigh at the needlelike pain.

_Pain, ­_she thought, ­_I deserve this. I deceived Glinda, I left Nessa, and I threatened that poor, innocent little girl…Dorothy. No good deed goes unpunished! _She laughed bitterly. _Well, lucky me – no wicked one does either! _It was hopeless. There was no use trying to escape the past.

_How can you leave the past behind when it keeps finding ways to get to you?_ A dry sob escaped her throat.

"It doesn't get any easier than this, you know," An unexpected voice from behind informed her.

Shocked, she spun. An Antelope, withered with age, was sitting, halfway hidden in the shadows.

"I'm sorry. Did I startle you? When one gets to be as old as I am, it's easy to be overlooked. And I am quite old, my dear." The Antelope let out a violent cough.

"Do I know you?" Elphaba asked. The voice, though dry and cracked was faintly familiar, as if it had once been in a dream.

The response was a snort. "I have seen many faces in my day, child. Forgive me if yours doesn't strike my memory – what's left of it. Though I can't see your face anyhow. Antelopes don't see in the dark, y'know."

"Here," Elphaba swirled her hand, muttering the appropriate incantation to conjure a fireball. Nothing appeared, and there was no heated sensation as was usual. She tried again. Nothing.

"That's a lovely hand movement, hon, but I don't see how it helps anything," The Antelope said mournfully, moving one of her legs slightly.

"A fireball's supposed to appear," Elphaba said slowly, trying the spell again and failing.

"Oh, a sorceress, are we? Is that what got you in here? Witches are not very highly regarded in society after Elphaba!"

Elphaba froze. "Did you just say…Elphaba?"

"Well, the Wicked Witch of the West, it's all the same to me. Besides, I was there when they christened her Elphaba Thropp."

"Really? You might recognize me, then." Elphaba moved forward, stopping right in front of her companion. "Look closely…"

The Antelope squinted, her eyes becoming smaller. Then they widened, very suddenly. She whispered, "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were a bit sick. But I do know better. That green hue…_You _are Elphaba Thropp. And they've caught you at last."

"It appears so," Elphaba said dispiritedly. She settled down next to the Antelope, "I felt like I knew you. But there must be something more. It was your voice I recognized…as if from a dream…or a vision…"

The Antelope chuckled dryly. "I'm sure everything you can remember as a baby seems vague. I'm surprised you can remember anything at all. I lost all sense of my childhood an unmentionable time ago."

"I can remember shouting, and panic. It's all a blur, though. And your voice – with my fathers?" Elphaba frowned as the words automatically came out of her mouth.

There was an immediate response as the Antelope fell backward, laughing so hard she choked. "Yes, yes, that was an unusual birth, that was! I'll tell you about it if you like…" Elphaba didn't interrupt, so she pressed on, "Well, I was at home when I received the news; I was needed at the Governor's manor to birth the new baby. Back then, I lived in Munchkinland, you see. I wasted no time in getting there – babies are often earlier then expected. Turns out I was just in time. I was there as you decided you wanted to come a little early. Naturally, your father was excited! And then you came out. That was a shock, oh yes, a big one!" The Antelope once again went into peals of laughter. She eventually regained her composure. "I must admit I called you atrocious, my dear. It was all too much of a surprise for me, you see. But you have grown up, darling. I didn't realize it had been that long…twenty years, has it been? Twenty-one? Ah, well, here we are, reunited. I can't say I'm pleased to see you, unfortunately."

Now it was Elphaba's turn to snort. "Same here. How long have you been here?"

"In prison, two years. Here, only a few days."

"Oh, Oz," Elphaba breathed, "They've brought you here because of me! They're going to do something, as an example…oh no…"

"Well, as long as it's quick. I've lived my share of life," The Antelope was obviously unconcerned with the new enlightenment.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Elphaba promised, "No matter what. Somehow, I'll make this right. I'll make good…"

------------------

Fiyero woke up quite the same way as his girlfriend, minus the pain. He found himself in a small cell, with a small room just outside it. Standing, he checked to make sure all his straw was in place. Finding it was, he sat back down with a sigh, crossing his legs, chin in hand.

_This is becoming sort of a usual occurrence, _he thought humorlessly, _And I must say it isn't something I want to become routine._

"I'll be right here, waiting, all night," he said aloud with a smirk.

Boq, who had been standing right outside the door, laughed to himself as he walked away. "Oh, you won't have long to wait."

Fiyero yawned, still supremely bored. He raised a cloth hand, casually examining it. An idea occurred to him. He sat up, raising his other hand in front of him. He grinned.

Cupping the hands like sock puppets, he jerked his wrist so it appeared that the hands were…flipping their hair?

"Were you looking for something or…someone?" he said in a girly, high-pitched voice, moving his fingers so it appeared as if a mouth was moving.

"Uh, yeah, some sort of history class. I don't know…somewhere?" He answered himself in a cool, swankified tone, moving the other hand.

"The history building is way over there, my friend." He spoke, yet again, now in a weird, throaty voice.

"That class just ended!" continued the girly voice.

"Oh! Perfect timing. So, uh, what does one do for fun around here?" asked the swankified voice.

"Nothing really…until now." The girly voice informed him.

"We've been studying!" the weird voice spoke up.

"What! Well, I see that once again the responsibility to corrupt my fellow students falls to me. Fortunately, I'm up to the task…"

Fifteen minutes later, Fiyero was still occupied with the "puppets", though he had decided to vary things a little by going in slow motion.

"So…I'll be picking you up around eight?" he asked slowly.

The door opened, and Boq came in, an ugly look on his face.

"No. I'll be taking you now."

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A/N: I know, really random with Fiyero, but I was in a random mood. Oh yeah, little Rent quote in there...Review?


	16. A Wicked Plan

A/N: Not much to say this time...going out of town, so maybe no updates in a while!

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**Chapter Sixteen: A Wicked Plan**

Elphaba stood quietly in the Throne Room. She and the Antelope had been sitting in thoughtful silence in their cell when about ten guards came in to escort them out. One fitted a rope around the Antelope's neck, and the other nine nervously took hold of Elphaba. Apparently, only about two or three had been sent for this job, but they had enlisted others out of fear as to what this Wicked Witch could do. Elphaba had decided to cooperate, and they hadn't tied her up, so now she stood, guards on either side of her. The Antelope sat on the ground, dozing, appearing unconcerned with her current situation.

The room was pretty much empty except for the guards, the Antelope, and Elphaba herself, though the Wizard's old mechanical head hung limp and unused in its frame in the corner.

Just then, a side door opened, and Glinda and Madame Morrible appeared. Morrible was holding Glinda's arm in a vice-like grip, but Glinda showed no signs of trying to escape. Her other arm held a crutch, as her ankle was still bandaged from kicking Boq. When she saw Elphaba, her eyes visibly filled up with tears.

That door had barely closed when another was flung open, and Fiyero stumbled in, while Boq (obviously the cause of the stumble) strode in after him. At a signal from the tinman, Madame Morrible led Glinda over to Elphaba, Fiyero coming over of his own accord. The two automatically moved to stand on either side of Elphaba.

Boq grinned evilly. "My fellow former Shis- Shist-˝

"Shizians!" his captives supplied in unison.

"Thank you. Now, where were we? Oh yes…Well, I'll get straight to the point. As you can see, we have a guest with us today. She has been brought here for a special purpose. For many years, Ozians have lived under the delusion that all citizens should be treated with equal respect. But how can we tell the difference between the horse that pulls a cart and the Horse that teaches school? We shouldn't have to. And now, we won't. Madame Morrible will now demonstrate that Animals should be seen and not heard."

Elphaba and Glinda both gasped, exchanging a look. Elphaba well remembered the first time she heard that phrase, the very day that Fiyero first came to the school. Could Madame Morrible be the one who wrote those familiar words on the chalkboard?

Madame Morrible stepped forward. In her arms was a thick, ancient book. The Grimmerie. Setting the book down on a small podium, Morrible opened the volume to a previously marked page and began chanting a complicated string of words.

At first, nothing happened. Then the Antelope suddenly made a loud noise and started to writhe in pain on the floor. Elphaba stepped forward at once, eyes wide, but two guards caught her arms and held her back.

"No, stop, you're hurting her!"

Morrible turned her head to look directly at Elphaba, her face catching a torch and shining the light of pure evil into her face. "It's just a transition, dearie," she said, smiling wickedly.

Again, Elphaba and Glinda exchanged a horrified look, and then both began struggling hard. The guards held them back, and took hold of Fiyero, too, for safety, though he had no clue what the significance of those words was. The Antelope stopped twisting as quickly as she had begun.

Tentatively, Elphaba asked, "Antelope? It's me, Elphaba. Don't be afraid."

Her only reply was a mournful bleat.

"Can't you speak?"

Another bleat penetrated the air.

"No…" Elphaba said, tears welling up in her eyes at the sight of the poor creature.

Boq laughed unpleasantly. "You see, you can't win. In the end, all Animals are animals. As it should be. Soon, this is the way all of Oz will be! But we are not finished yet. Madame, if you would…"

Morrible obeyed, crossing to a dark corner of the room and wheeling out a large cage with a sheet draped over it.

"Maybe you'll recognize an old friend…" Boq said slyly. Then he pulled the sheet off with a flourish. It was Dr. Dillamond.

"Doctor Dillamond!" Glinda and Fiyero said in unison.

"No! Dr. Dillamond! Oh, what have they done now?" Elphaba moaned.

Dr. Dillamond looked directly at Elphaba, his mouth opening, trying to form words. "Baaaaaad."

"What?"

"Baaaaaaaaaaad!"

Boq merely smirked and opened the cage door casually. "Maybe our two animals would care to be introduced."

The Antelope merely lifted her head and bleated sullenly. Dillamond stood there for a moment, and then suddenly bolted.

"After him!" Boq shouted. Some of the guards released the trio and ran after the goat. But it was too late. He had slipped through the door to the outside.

"He got away! He got away!" Elphaba said with glee.

"Which is more then you will!" Boq snarled, "Take the Scarecrow to his "special" room."

"Oh, no, that's okay, I'll be fine with a regular room," Fiyero said nervously.

Boq nearly cackled. "I insist." Two guards hauled Fiyero off. He cast one last look over his shoulder, his eyes desperate. Glinda looked at the floor, but Elphaba mouthed 'It's going to be fine.' Then the door shut between them.

Boq pointed to two other guards. "You and you escort Ms. Glinda back to my room. Remember; make sure it looks like you are her personal bodyguards. We wouldn't want a riot because Glinda was detained." This last was said sarcastically.

Glinda, flanked by two large men, gave Elphaba one last look and then disappeared through a different set of doors.

"The rest of you, go back to your normal duties. And remember, not one of you is to tell the Captain what you saw here today. The one who does will never see another morning."

Once the guards had left, Boq turned to Elphaba. "And now, Elphie, I will personally take you to your room." He glanced at Morrible.

"I'll take care of the beast," Morrible said, nodding at the sleeping antelope, "You go ahead."

"Now, Elphaba, behave, will you, and don't make me tie you up," Boq prodded her gently with the blade of his axe, "This way…"

He guided her to a door that she had not seen before. Through it, there was a steep flight of stairs leading downwards. With Boq's axe pressed firmly to her back the whole time, Elphaba carefully descended, managing not to trip and fall. At the bottom of the stairs was a door, and through it there was a maze of corridors. She was guided to the right, then left, then right again. By the smell and the barred doors, she could tell she was in a dungeon of some sort.

Finally, Boq ordered a stop in front of a room with a steel door and no windows showing the inside. He opened the door, prodding Elphaba in ahead of him, and then shut the door behind them.

The room looked pretty nonlethal. It was small, but the walls were bare, the floor concrete with a small drain in the center. Elphaba frowned around at it, feeling the damp wall. She was interrupted by a sting on her left cheek. Clapping her hand to her face and spinning, she saw that Boq had a squirt bottle in his hand and was smiling amusedly at her. Elphaba folded her arms and glared at him.

"Oh, so water does hurt…" Boq said innocently, "I'm sorry." Then he pulled the lever again, hitting Elphaba on the forehead. She wiped it off carefully with her sleeve.

"Do you honestly believe that's going to kill me?"

"No," Boq suddenly pushed an obscure button on the wall, "but this might." A cannon folded itself down from a ceiling panel, pointing directly at Elphaba.

Boq looked almost regretful. Almost. "Goodbye, Elphaba." He whispered. Then he slipped out of the room, locking the door behind him.

The cannon quivered for a moment, then began to shoot water like missiles.

-------------------

A/N: Uh-oh. Looks like they're in a little bit of trouble now! Review??


	17. No Hope?

A/N: There's another song in here. I'd just like to say that I know that, for some people, the songs take away from the story, and I'm sorry if they do. But I love to write songs, and this is a sequel to the musical, not the book. I can't imagine Wicked without songs! So I added my own. The song in here obviously uses parts of songs from Wicked. WHICH I DON'T OWN. And this song is a little cheesy. Basically, imagine me trying to communicate utter despair.

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**Chapter Seventeen: No Hope?**

Glinda sat on Boq's bed, her arms folded in an expression of anger, her foot tapping in fake boredom. But really, she was terrified. Her outward movements were for the sake of intimidating the young guard who stood before her. When the two guards had brought her in, the one had left without a second glance. But Glinda had managed to get the other to stay, a crucial step for the sake of asking a few questions. He now stood before her, fidgeting nervously.

"Lady Glinda, I really should go now…"

"Not just yet. Now tell me, where are they holding Elphaba?"

"Elphaba?" the guard wrinkled his nose.

"The Witch, then, whatever you like! Tell me where she is!"

"Um…I'm not at liberty to discuss the whereabouts of said captive, unless otherwise instructed by Boq himself," the guard spoke from memory.

Glinda was not impressed. "Don't use any of that on me! I am not interested in what you aren't 'at liberty to discuss!'" I want to know where she is _now_!"

The guard shuffled his feet and glanced towards the door. He clamped his lips shut.

Glinda sighed, then put on her most seducing smile and spoke as sweetly as possible.

"Dear child, have you ever read any fairy tales?"

The guard's face registered surprise, but then he nodded slowly.

"Well, then you must be familiar with the ending of these stories." Her voice changed to a direct tone. "The good guys win. And I can assure you Boq isn't the good guy. Now, when this is all over, do you want to go to prison for your whole life, or would you rather be acquitted of all charges and go home?"

It wasn't a difficult question. "Okay…I'll tell you. But you can't tell Boq I told."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Glinda said seriously.

"She's in the dungeon, in the special area department. You take the back door from the throne room, and go down that way. I don't know anything else."

Glinda wasn't pleased at the sound of the 'special area department', but she kept her smile and nodded at the guard. "Very well. If that is all, then go. But you must promise not to tell Boq that you told me. If you did, you and I would both be in trouble. Our little secret?"

Inching toward the door, the guard agreed. "Our little secret, I promise." Then he practically bolted into the hall, closing the door behind him.

Glinda sat back on Boq's bed, massaging her temples. Things weren't looking good. Elphaba was somewhere 'special' and Fiyero was also somewhere 'special'. Glinda knew special wasn't good in this situation. Her thoughts took her back to the throne room meeting of twenty minutes ago.

_Poor Elphaba. She seemed to know that Antelope…antelope. And Dr. Dillamond on the lam again. This is absolutely crazy. Boq must be mad, and if he is then Madame Morrible certainly is, too. I don't have a clue where all this came from, but it has gone far enough. Something must be done before a fatal error is made._

The only problem was, what?

----------------------

Fiyero stood quietly in a spacious room, eyeing his escort guards warily. He would have loved to put up a fight, but the thought of getting re-speared was not appetizing, so he settled for his best death glare. The guards seemed unaffected. Either that or it was the fact they were avoiding his gaze.

Finally, Boq came in and ordered the guards out. They left hurriedly and without complaint. Fiyero transferred his gaze to Boq, crossing his arms defiantly. Boq walked forward, holding the scarecrow's gaze evenly.

"Do you know where your precious Elphaba is now, oh mighty Winkie Prince?"

Fiyero arched an eyebrow.

"She's currently being doused with water from a cannon, programmed to shoot off a stream of water for thirty seconds every minute. If the water doesn't kill her first, she'll soon drown. Such a pity…" Boq didn't sound sorry. He was clearly enjoying his gloating.

Fiyero's heart plummeted at this news, but his expression didn't change. Boq might have the upper hand, but he wouldn't win without a fight.

"What's the matter, Biq? Too cowardly to face her in fair battle? I thought it was the Lion who had that problem."

It was Boq's turn to glare. "You won't be cracking jokes after this is over. You won't be doing much at all. Ashes will be all that remains of the mighty Fiyero Tiggular, once Prince, and then Scarecrow. That won't be a very flattering monument, will it?"

"I'll live."

Boq's smile widened. "Or rather, you won't." He strolled over to a control panel on the wall by the door. Studying it carefully, he turned a knob a few notches to the right. Almost instantly, flames leapt up in a circle, the edge of which was a mere foot from Fiyero. Jumping, he scrambled farther away from the fire as Boq walked towards him. The flames made his image on the other side hazy, but Fiyero could still make him out.

"You like it? This is a special invention. See the circular groove on the floor? It is filled with highly flammable oil. When this button is pushed, the oil is ignited. When the next button is pushed, the fire creeps forward to the next level. And so on and so forth. The best part is that it can all operate on a timer, so as time goes on, the fire intensifies."

Fiyero snorted. "So, basically, the oil serves a double purpose. You can use it to make a fire ring and you have a supply of oil on hand in case your oil can runs out."

Boq scowled. "I'm not sure you understand the gravity of this situation. You are going to die a fiery death."

Though Fiyero's throat was dry and he felt utterly terrified and helpless, he concentrated on not letting Boq see his fear. "Wake me up when it gets interesting."

Boq's eyes flashed, and Fiyero smiled triumphantly. He had succeeded in making the tinman mad – a last impression, if nothing else. He would not die begging for mercy.

The tinman stepped closer to the fire, the hatred evident in his eyes. "You know what? I'm sick of having to deal with your sarcasm. You took Glinda from me, and for that you will pay. You're laughing now, but just give it an hour or so. By then, you won't be making any sound at all." He stepped towards the door, "Sixty minutes, Fiyero. That's how long you have to stay alive. And it isn't long. It isn't long."

And with that, the tinman was gone.

-----------------------

ELPHABA: The water's coming down

Too fast

My senses are telling me to make this dry moment last

Every minute could be the one

When I die

GLINDA: Say goodbye

This could be the end

Could very well

Be the finishing moments of this masterpiece,

This disaster piece

This finale of gloom

FIYERO: The fire rages on, it won't die down

But I won't lay down and die

Got to make sure this doesn't end that way

Will I live to see another day?

ELPHABA: There's no time for crying

GLINDA: No time for being scared

FIYERO: No time for regrets

ELPHABA: I don't want this to be the end

But it seems as if that choice died long ago

I can't control where this story goes

GLINDA: Who knows what the next moments will bring?

Who knows about the next few days?

Will I be the only one to survive this insane rage?

FIYERO: This wasn't the way I imagined it,

This wasn't my preferred goodbye to life!

ELPHABA: No happily ever afters, no once upon a times,

I never got the chance to do all that I wanted to,

To make everything wrong once again right!

GLINDA: This is insane!

FIYERO: _He _is insane!

ELPHABA: This is an insane way to die!

ALL: I keep waiting for myself to utter one last despairing cry!

ELPHABA: I promised once, no good deed

And yet I've been doing good,

I'm breaking my own vows, that's bad,

Yet something says I should

GLINDA: No longer how I used to be

I've been changed for good

I want to try to save my friends

If I was free I would!

FIYERO: The minutes tick by so fast

How long have I got now?

I wish I could escape the flames

But I don't know how!

FIYERO: The fire, it's burning, it's creeping ever closer!

ELPHABA: The water, it's rushing, it's stinging my skin!

GLINDA: Elphie – one last song for you!

ELPHABA: Glinda, goodbye to you, too!

GLINDA: Popular!

I tried to make you popular

But it seems to me

You weren't meant to be

The way I wished you were…

FIYERO: Dancing through life

Swaying and sweeping

And always keeping cool

That was stupid

I was deluded

Nothing's perfect

Dancing through life…

ELPHABA: Defying gravity

I'm sorry I tried defying gravity

Now I'll never match them in renown

And everyone, in all of Oz

Every tinman that there is or was

Can easily bring me down…

GLINDA: I hope you're happy…

ELPHABA: I hope you're happy…

ALL: This is the end…

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A/N: Review!


	18. New Understanding

A/N: I can see I have put fear in some of you as to the trio's fate! Well, here's to hoping you understand a little more about why Boq acts like he does after you read this chapter. Or maybe it'll make you even more confused!

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**Chapter Eighteen: New Understanding**

Boq headed steadily up the main staircase of the Palace. His outside appeared composed, but inside he was in turmoil. He needed someplace to think for a while. When he reached the top of the stairs, he made for his room, but then remembered that was where Glinda was imprisoned. Instead, he altered his course and entered Glinda's rooms.

The bedroom was unchanged from the encounter two days – was it really only that long? – ago. A few stray wisps of straw littered the carpet, and there were two heels tossed haphazardly by the closet wall.

Boq sat on Glinda's bed, somewhat uncomfortable with its plush softness. His room was military in its plainness, with a hard bed. He didn't, of course, really need to sleep.

The tinman knew something was going on with him. Sometimes he felt as if an iron hand was holding him, making him do its will, coming in form of a voice in his head. Then, when he fought back, it would be gone, and return at a weak moment. His thoughts and memories would get jumbled up until he wasn't sure what to believe. Right now, the hand was elsewhere and Boq had free room to think.

He was in Glinda's room. That would put Glinda…imprisoned in his room. He remembered it – it had been done on his order. But that had been during one of his "no-control" periods. And Elphaba and Fiyero – dying.

The realization struck Boq like a knife through his heart…or where his heart would be, that is. His school mates were dying because of him. Boq began to stand up, determined to go save them, when the voice in his head spoke.

_You really don't want to do that, Boq._

Boq paused, fearful and on alert. The voice was back, which meant soon he'd be a slave again.

"Why?" he asked.

_I think you know why. I can make you a great ruler – or I can ruin you. Do you want that, Boq? Do you want all your power to disappear?_

Boq struggled. The blanket of compliance was coming over him again. "What if…what if that's not enough anymore?" he asked, fighting to get the words out.

The voice laughed. _There is much more I can do. I could kill that lovely little blonde girlfriend of yours._

Boq's eyes filled with tears. He blinked them away, determined not to give in, not to rust. "You've already hurt her enough," he said.

_No. You have. _The voice changed to a more kindly tone. _You have no need to interrupt anything that has already been set in motion, Boq. Elphaba made you a tinman and Fiyero stole Glinda. They are not sorry for what they did to you. You _deserve _this revenge. It's yours to have. _The voice became stronger in power, harder to resist.

"No…" Boq whispered, feeling his free will begin to give way. Then his eye caught sight of something lying on the floor by the bed. Glinda's photo album! He reached for it and set it on his lap, his head clearing slightly.

_What's that? _The voice asked, worried. _Boq, what is it? No! Put it down! Do you hear me? Boq put it down!_

Boq ignored the voice, opening the album to a random page. It was the picture of the five friends together at school. Boq's finger touched his own face, then that of each of his friends. _Friends_. His head cleared completely. Everything was deliciously simple.

_Boq,_ the voice began, but Boq interrupted.

"You have no power here," he growled.

There was a pause, then a loosening. He was alone. Stunned at his own strength, Boq jumped up and began to clank to his room. There was no time to waste.

----------------------

Glinda huddled on Boq's couch, dry sobs racking her body. She knew that somewhere in the Palace, Elphaba and Fiyero were in grave danger of death, but there was nothing she could do about it. There was no way out of Boq's room, and Glinda could only do magic by wand.

"I need a miracle," she murmured.

Just then, the door slammed open. Boq stood in the doorway.

"Glinda, you have to come with me," he said urgently.

Glinda was so surprised to see the tinman that it took her a moment to string words together. "Why should I do anything you want?" she asked, her voice full of anger.

Boq flinched. "We have to save Elphaba and Fiyero," he said, his voice so uncharacteristically (as of late) shy and earnest, that a glimmer of hope shone inside Glinda's heart.

"But how-" she began, but Boq cut her off.

"I'll explain later! There's no time now! They'll both be dead soon!"

Glinda jumped up, grabbing her crutch, and hobbled out the door. Boq led the way. They had to hurry.

--------------------

Elphaba had never felt this much pain at one time. She had given up trying to avoid the water – it was impossible. And because there was so much water, and such a small drain, there was at least two feet of liquid sloshing around in the small room. In about fifteen seconds, the cannon would launch still more right at her.

Elphaba huddled in a corner, knees drawn up to her chest and arms wrapped around them. She was soaked, shivering, and in so much agony she felt she might explode. The water stung her skin, bringing an angry reddish rash that spread nearly everywhere over her body.

The pain left little room for thought, but Elphaba was struggling to retain the memory of her friend's faces. As a fresh stream of water began to leave the cannon spout, she felt blackness begin to overcome her. Her last conscious thought was of Fiyero and Glinda.

_I never really got to say goodbye…_

_-------------------------_

"Which one is it?" Glinda asked sharply, hurrying down the dank halls of the dungeon. She was not using her crutch for support, instead using it to bang on doors. "Elphie!"

Boq hurried behind her, trying frantically to remember. It was difficult to concentrate when the voice in his head was trying to gain control of him again. "I can't remember…" he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut. Then Glinda stopped short a few yards ahead of him.

Leaning against a door, she said, "What's that noise? It sounds like water rushing!"

Boq gasped. "This is it!" He clanked to the door and fumbled though a ring of keys before finding the one that fit the lock.

"Hurry!" Glinda moaned.

The tinman fit the key into the lock and turned it with a snick, then pulled the door open. Water rushed out of the room and spilled over Glinda and Boq's ankles, causing Glinda to draw in her breath because of the cold and Boq's legs to rust instantly.

Glinda hurried into the room, tripping on the slippery floor and inadvertently bumping into the button that deactivated the water flow. The cannon folded itself back into the ceiling. But neither the Good Witch or the tinman noticed that. Both pairs of eyes were fixed on Elphaba, who was curled into a ball at the far end of the room.

"Elphaba! Elphie! Oh, what has he done!" Glinda moaned, running to her friend's side and gathering the limp figure into her arms. She wiped Elphaba's wet hair from her pasty pale green face and felt for a pulse. There was a faint one. "Thank Oz, you're alive!" she exclaimed in relief, hugging the other witch close.

"Glinda…" Boq began, but Glinda interrupted him.

"I can't believe you would do this, Boq! What did Elphaba ever do to you? And you almost killed her!" Glinda rose, eyes flashing at the former Munchkin.

"Glinda, I'm sorry, but I really don't have time for this! You have to leave, now!" Boq felt the iron hand creeping around his heart. He couldn't fight it any longer. In just a few minutes, he would be lost. As the power grew stronger, he snarled in frustration, body shaking.

"Boq? What is it?" Glinda asked, alarmed by his behavior. She started forward, but Boq put a hand out frantically.

"No! Don't come any closer! You have to go! If you don't, I'll hurt you again! Take Elphaba, go save Fiyero! Up the stairs, than two lefts and a right. Control panel on the right wall will kill the fire. Go!"

Glinda was terrified, but she gathered Elphaba, who was amazingly light, into her arms and raced out into the hall.

_We're coming, Fiyero!_

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A/N: Review!


	19. The Cat's Out of the Bag

A/N: I'm sorry it's been awhile since I've updated. Warm summer days have taken me from my computer, as well as vacation. Since I also have a Rent story in-progress, I was unsure which to work on, but lucky for you all, I've decided to finish this one first. We're nearing the end, but I expect at least another ten chapters because of the way things are going.

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**Chapter Nineteen: The Cat's Out of the Bag**

Fiyero was standing in the dead center of the room, the wall of fire blazing around him. As a scarecrow, he couldn't feel the heat, but the bright flames hurt to look at. He watched in terror as the fire jumped to the final ring, trapping him inside a tiny circle where the slightest misstep could mean death.

How long would it take for him to tire so that he could no longer stand and would have to sit down among the wreath of fiery death? It wouldn't be long now…

Behind him, Fiyero heard the sound of the door opening and closing. Turning, he tripped and began to fall. He closed his eyes and waited for the burning fire to catch hold and eat him alive.

But it didn't come. Fiyero fell to the floor unharmed and opened his eyes to see that the flames were gone. By the control panel stood Glinda, and lying at her feet was a very wet-looking Elphaba.

"Elphaba! Glinda!" he gasped, scrambling to his feet and sprinting over to the girls. "What happened? How did you find me?" he crouched beside Elphaba.

Glinda looked extremely worried as she knelt on the other side of their unconscious friend. "It's the strangest thing. Boq came and got me and brought me to Elphaba, but she was nearly drowned. Then he told me where you were and that I had to leave him, that if I didn't he'd hurt me again. It was like he was having a stroke or something – he kept shaking."

"I told you. He's being controlled somehow." Fiyero said. He lifted Elphaba's hand and held it to his cheek. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know," Glinda admitted, "She was in water for a long time…" She laid a hand on Elphaba's forehead. "She's burning up. Oh, Elphaba, please wake up!"

A glow suddenly emanated from Glinda's palm, absorbing into the still figure's forehead. Elphaba shuddered and sat up with a start. She blinked a few times before spotting her friends. "Fiyero? Glinda? Where am I?"

Fiyero gathered his lover into his arms, hugging her tightly as Glinda stared at her hand in astonishment.

"How did I do that?" she asked.

"How _did _you do that?" Fiyero asked.

"What did she do?" Elphaba coughed.

"Lie down," Glinda ordered immediately. Elphaba complied reluctantly.

"What happened?" she asked again, her voice hoarse.

Glinda explained. "Boq took me to you, but you were unconscious, and then he told me to save Fiyero. So I came up here with you and saved him. But then you were burning up, so I put my hand on your forehead and you woke up. I don't know what happened. I've never done that before!"

Elphaba smiled. "Maybe you're not as useless a witch as you think you are." She squeezed her friend's hand gently.

"How do you feel?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba grimaced. "Not great. My skin stings, and my insides ache."

"You almost died," Glinda pointed out, "Boq and I found you just in time."

"Boq?"

Glinda quickly explained what Boq had done and how he had acted so strangely. When she was finished, Elphaba shook her head in confusion.

"Something must have a hold over him. Nothing else could explain his behavior."

"I think it's Madame Morrible," Fiyero said, scowling, "And, I swear, if that woman ever gets close enough to me, I'll _strangle _her!"

"Let me have some neck, too!" Elphaba proclaimed. Then she fell into a coughing fit.

Glinda rubbed Elphaba's hands between her own. "I agree wholeheartedly, but don't get worked up now. We should get out of here before someone finds us. Can you walk?" she addressed Elphaba.

"Yes," Elphaba said defiantly. She stood up, stumbled, and would have fallen over if Fiyero hadn't caught her. "Um…maybe I'm going to need a little help?" she amended.

Fiyero hurried to support her on one side while Glinda positioned herself on the other. Slowly, the three of them began to limp towards the door. They had just reached it when they heard shouting and thundering footfalls from the other side.

"They're coming for us!" Glinda said frantically, her eyes widening.

"There must be another way out," Elphaba said.

"Look! Over there!" Fiyero pointed to a door on the opposite side of the room.

"Hurry!" Glinda urged. She and Fiyero dashed across the room, practically carrying Elphaba now. Fiyero flung the door and stopped abruptly.

"It leads outside!" Glinda gasped, voicing their shared astonishment.

"It's an alley," Elphaba pointed out feebly, "And anyway, we don't have a choice. Go!"

Just as the guards, Boq, the Lion, and Madame Morrible burst through the door, Elphaba, Fiyero, and Glinda slammed theirs behind them.

"Which way?" Glinda asked frantically, looking both ways. Elphaba didn't answer, having no clue where they were. Fiyero, however, had been Captain of the Guards for a while, and he pointed right.

"The other way leads to the Town Square. We definitely don't want to get near so many people."

So they ran to the right just as the door burst open behind them. The end of that alley led to the beginning of more. The good thing was that they did not meet anyone as they took random turns. It seemed that they were getting lucky – the footsteps behind them were fading.

"I thought," Glinda said, breathing hard as she tried to keep up in her heavy gown, "That the – areas of the – Emerald City – around the Palace – were nicer?"

"Haven't you been around at all since you were proclaimed Ruler?" Elphaba, who was being pretty much carried by Fiyero, asked, "I skulked around a little bit when I first left the Wizard. The front façade of the Palace is all fancy and nice. It gives you the delusion that everything in this part of the city is. But behind the Palace, the area is just as ugly as the outskirts. No one comes back here alone unless they've got a death wish."

"Then you must have a death wish, missy."

All three gasped and skidded to a stop as their way was blocked by a burly man with an ugly looking club in his hand. He was leering unpleasantly at Glinda.

"Stay away!" Elphaba warned, but her usually intimidating voice was weaker than usual, and she swayed where she stood. The man only laughed.

"Come on," Fiyero whispered, "We'll go back the other way."

But even as they turned around, they saw that another man stood blocking the way. Two more stepped out of the shadows. All three of these carried knives.

"I don't think you'll be getting out of here so easy," the first man said with an eerie chuckle. Elphaba stepped forward angrily, but Fiyero pulled her back.

"You're not strong enough to do magic right now!" he hissed.

"I'm warning you, leave us alone!" Glinda shouted. Her voice wobbled, and she clutched Elphaba's arm tightly.

"Say, you're Glinda the Good, aren't you?" one of the other men said.

"Yes. Yes I am." Glinda said, raising her chin slightly. The man grinned.

"Good. I don't like the government. Been corrupt ever since Ozma disappeared." His attention turned to Elphaba. "And you're that Wicked Witch who was supposed to be melted a few weeks ago."

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner. At least one of you has some brains." Elphaba said coolly.

"Just stay away from us!" Fiyero said, stepping in front of the girls. The men laughed again.

"A man of straw?" one said. He came forward alarmingly quickly and flung Fiyero aside.

"Fiyero!" Elphaba shrieked. She turned to the man only to see his hand come up and slap her hard across the face. She was flung to the ground as well, a hand on her cheek. Glinda backed away, but one of the other men came up behind her and pushed her to the ground. Seeing his long, sharp knife swing down, she screamed.

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Three alleys over, Boq and a group of guards heard the scream. Boq's head snapped up.

_Glinda_, he thought. He motioned to the guards. "_Hurry!_"

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A few alleys away from that, Morrible and her group of guards, including the Lion, also heard the scream.

_That must be Glinda, the blonde-haired brat,_ she reasoned. She gestured to the guards, and they all ran through a narrow cross-alley that took them right through the separating streets. Along the way, Boq and his guards joined them.

When they burst into the wider alley, it was to see Fiyero lying on the ground, a booted foot easily holding him there. Another man had Elphaba's arms twisted behind her back. A trickle of blood came from her mouth, contrasting with her green skin. Two other men were advancing on Glinda, who looked terrified.

"Halt!" the Lion commanded, stepping forward, his voice strong even though his knees were trembling.

The seven people looked up. Glinda looked relieved, even though a moment ago they had been running from the same people who were rescuing them now. Fiyero also looked relieved, but Elphaba was scowling. It was obvious that she wasn't used to being in a helpless position.

"Step away from these three, nice and slow," Boq ordered. The men paused, seeming to consider. They took in the guards and the sharp spears and guns, and slowly backed away. Elphaba fell to her knees when released. "Now leave, and don't tell anyone what you have seen here."

The men ran.

"You know they will tell," Morrible murmured in Boq's ear. He ignored her, pointing instead at Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero.

"Stand up, all three of you. Don't make any sudden movements."

Fiyero and Glinda sidled to Elphaba's side. Fiyero offered Elphaba a hand, which she didn't take, instead standing on her own, glaring daggers at Boq the whole time. Now that he saw her up closer, Boq realized that Elphaba really wasn't in good shape. Her cheek had a big bruise forming, her mouth was still bleeding (she proceeded to wipe this away when she saw Boq looking), and she looked paler than usual. In a flash, Boq remembered trying to drown her and felt a twinge of guilt.

"Did you really think you could get away?" Morrible sneered, stepping forward, "That you would be able to run and hide forever, with no wand, no spellbook, and no broom? Not to mention the only one of you with any talent in a bad condition." She shot Elphaba a contemptuous look.

Elphaba opened her mouth to retaliate, but she swayed suddenly. Her legs collapsed beneath her, and Glinda caught her just before she fell. The normally mild-tempered blonde witch glared at their opposition with a look that Elphaba would have approved of, had she not been throwing up at the moment.

"Look at what you've done! You haven't even killed her, just tortured her! And you know she's good! You know you're the ones who are wicked! Haven't you had your fun? Just leave us alone. We haven't done anything to you, ever! Let us go! Please!"

Tears rolled down Glinda's cheeks and dripped onto Elphaba, who sighed when they hit her but seemed incapable of shielding herself from them. Fiyero stood, stiff-legged, beside them, one hand on Elphaba's shoulder.

Morrible cackled. "Let you go? I don't think so. You see, my little perfect princess," she spat the words, "I have gained control of the Emerald City. Because of your announcement, I have the same powers any ruler could have, but because I have ambitions, I have so much more right under my fingertips. The land of Oz is changing; it will never be the same again. At least not when I've ordered the extinction of all the Animals in the country." At Elphaba's horrified look, she laughed again, and continued, "Yes, Miss Elphaba. Animals are so tiresome, don't you agree? I personally think they are no good at all. So I'm ordering their immediate arrest. This land could always use more animals. What you saw happen to your friend Dillamond and that old Antelope will now happen to every Animal brought to me, whether they are adult or child. If the Animals resist arrest, then they will be killed on the spot. I have no use for troublemakers. I suppose you could call it a war. I prefer to call it The Great Change." Morrible's eyes narrowed, and she took a gun from her skirts. "You understand, of course, that this will mean you must die. I have grown weary of this wild goose-chase. Mr. Tiggular will join you. I'm sure producing a fire will be no problem. We will have to keep Miss Glinda alive, at least for a while, because the people must have their precious ruler to assure them that everything will be all right. But then I suppose we will have no need for her, either, and she will be disposed of." Glinda uttered a squeak but did not let go of Elphaba's arm. Morrible aimed the gun at Elphaba's head. "So you become the first casualty of this Great Change. Pity. You could have made good. Goodbye, Elphaba Thropp."

Elphaba squeezed her eyes shut. The other two could do nothing. But just then a big golden blur came out from behind the other guards and knocked into Morrible, sending the gun skidding to Boq's feet.

"What the-" one of the guards started, but the sentence was not finished, as it became immediately apparent who the golden blur was.

"Lion!" Fiyero gasped.

The Lion's eyes fell on Fiyero for a moment, but then he turned to Morrible angrily.

"You want all Animals to become animals? You're planning to do awful things to my kinsmen! And what about me? Are you going to take care of me, too?" For once, there was no fear in his voice. He looked furious.

Morrible actually looked flustered. "Well, all Animals _besides _you, of course." But it was clear she had not been planning to spare the Lion, a fact he caught on to immediately.

"Oho, so you'll let me live, is that it? You could be out there exterminating my brothers, but it won't matter to me because I'm safe, right? And yet you say that Animals are tiresome. Why should I be different? I don't _want _to be different. Whatever you say about Animals includes me. The cat's out of the bag now."

Morrible's face darkened. "Fine. Have it your way. You'll be the first Animal death." She reached for the fallen gun, but a silver hand closed around her wrist.

Boq glared at the older woman. "What you said before. How _you've_ gained control. What about me? We're partners, aren't we?"

Morrible's voice turned sickly sweet. "Oh, my dear Boq, of course we are. I meant _us. _How could I function without you?" There was something in her voice, some sort of odd power she seemed to have over the tinman. He began to shake, his eyes shut tight.

Gasping words escaped his lips. "It's you, then? You're the voice that's been controlling me every time I begin to think for myself? You're scared, aren't you? Afraid we can – overpower – you…" He stopped shaking, and his eyes opened. "I know you know more about these things than I do," he said almost mechanically, as if nothing had just happened, "So I understand when you say 'you', you mean us, but you're the one with the plans."

"Exactly," Morrible said, satisfied. She snatched up the gun and pointed it again towards Elphaba, who the Lion was now shielding. "All right, Lion. You first."

Just then, Glinda let out a cry, and everyone looked at her. Her eyes were turned skyward, so they all followed her gaze to see something in the sky, coming closer and closer. At first glance it seemed to be a brightly colored bird. But as it descended, looking as if it would land right where they stood, it was recognizable as a balloon.

Glinda gasped. "It's the Wizard!"

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A/N: Review!


	20. A Sentimental Man

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**Chapter Twenty: A Sentimental Man**

It was indeed the Wizard. As the people (_and _Lion _and _Scarecrow _and _Tinman) below stared, openmouthed, the balloon came right down to the alleyway where they stood, landing with a gentle thump between Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, and the Lion and their adversaries.

The Wizard was standing in it, looking exactly the same as he had the last time anyone had seen him, about eighteen days ago. He had his coat and vest on, and his hat perched atop his head. He wore a bemused expression, as if he had no idea how he'd gotten there but wasn't particularly worried about it.

"You!" Elphaba gasped.

The Wizard turned and saw her. His face paled and only grew paler as he slowly scanned the faces of those around him. "What…what's going on here?" he asked.

Nobody spoke. They were still gaping at him in surprise.

"How did _you _get here?" Elphaba spat.

"I-I don't know. I was just in my balloon, over Kansas, when this wind picked me up and brought me right to here. It was the strangest thing…" He turned and looked questioningly at Madame Morrible.

"Oh, all right, so it was me. The people are somewhat hesitant to follow my orders, so I thought it might be a good idea to bring you back. They'll _listen _to you."

The Wizard's brow furrowed. "Listen to me about what?" Then a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "You're not still trying to rid Oz of all Animals, are you, Helga?"

"_Helga?_" Fiyero gasped, looking disgusted.

Madame Morrible's face flushed, but she pretended not to hear. "Of course I am. It was our goal from the beginning, was it not? I was liberated from Southstairs by Boq and the Lion, and ever since then I've been making plans that continue our noble work. I thought I could do it without your help – you always were a little reluctant. But it seems I need a partner after all, one who will be able to convince the people of our good intentions."

This time the Wizard's face flushed. "'Good intentions'? Helga, I've been doing a lot of thinking on this. Our 'good intentions' have harmed a lot of innocent creatures, and (or so I thought) killed my only child, my long-lost daughter." He glanced at Elphaba, who looked confused. "I cannot continue with that goal. I won't do it." He crossed his arms, looking defiant.

Madame Morrible actually looked hurt. "Barty…"

"_Barty?_" Fiyero hissed.

The Wizard came out of his balloon and approached Madame Morrible, taking her hands. The gun fell limply to the ground.

"Helga…you don't need to do this. My offer still stands. You can come back to Kansas with me. It's peaceful there, and if you really do have a grudge on Animals for whatever reason, you won't have to worry about it anymore. There are no Animals in Kansas, or anywhere else in that world. Come away with me. Forget Oz."

"Wait – is this what I think it is?" Glinda asked, eyes widening.

"Please don't tell me…" Elphaba began, looking scandalized.

"Gross." Boq remarked.

Madame Morrible stepped away from the Wizard, but she didn't release his hands. "I can't abandon this now, Barty. Not when I'm almost there. _You _stay. We could be Rulers of Oz, you know. Just you and I…"

"Defying gravity," Elphaba muttered.

"I can't do it. I've been Oz's ruler before, and I didn't like it. What I did…" The Wizard glanced over his shoulder at Elphaba, and then his eyes fell on the gun at Morrible's feet. He bent over to pick it up as a grim look of understanding crossed his face. He looked accusingly at Morrible. "Helga…you were trying to kill my daughter, weren't you? You were about to shoot her and her friends when I arrived."

Elphaba, Fiyero, and the Lion still looked dumbfounded, but Glinda started as if remembering something, and her eyes went back and forth between Elphaba and the Wizard.

Morrible's face darkened. "They're troublemakers. Trying to ruin what I've – what _we've _– worked towards! They're no good alive."

The Wizard looked angry. "I thought I'd lost her once! Now I realize she's alive – I won't let you kill her for real! Not when I've got another chance!" He backed around the balloon until he stood just in front of Elphaba and company. The gun was cocked in his hand, aimed at Morrible, but his hand was trembling. It was clear he wouldn't really shoot.

"If you're not with us…then you're against us," Morrible growled.

"I suppose so," The Wizard said sadly, "I'm sorry, Helga."

"Get them!" Morrible shouted.

Glinda shrieked as the soldiers came running at them, guns cocked and ready to fire. Suddenly, there was a small boom and they were all immersed in a thick red smoke.

"What in Oz…?" Glinda wondered. A hand latched onto her arm.

"Come on! Run!" Elphaba.

They ran, hardly able to see. The smoke drifted quickly and wasn't evaporating, so it soon spread around all the surrounding alleys until they had no clue where they were. All they knew was that the smoke must have confused their pursuers as well, because the shouting and footsteps were far off.

Finally, Elphaba's hand closed on a door handle, and she pushed, calling, "In here!" They tumbled in, Elphaba first, then Glinda, then Fiyero, the Lion, and finally the Wizard.

Fiyero gasped. "We're in the throne room!"

And so they were. The Wizard gaped around at his giant head, the empty cage still in the center of the room, and the far bigger cage that had formerly held the flying monkeys.

Elphaba pushed the cage in front of the door, then turned to the Wizard accusingly.

"You've got some explaining to do. Why do you keep referring to me as your 'daughter'? My father was Frexspar Priestly, the Governor of Munchkinland. And my mother was Melena Thropp, the Second Thropp Descending. I'm certainly not _your _daughter."

The Wizard sighed sadly. "Oh, but you are, my dear. Your friend Glinda the Good knows."

Elphaba turned to look at Glinda.

"It's true, Elphie," Glinda whispered, "You're a child of both worlds."

"What does she mean?" Elphaba asked in surprise, forgetting to be angry.

"I'll tell you the story, something you should have been told earlier. But I didn't know you were my daughter until a few weeks ago. I didn't even know I _had _a daughter." The Wizard sighed and began to pace the room. "It was years ago, when I was just a bit older than you are now. I worked at a circus in Kansas, giving children rides in my balloon. But one day the wind picked me right up and brought me to Oz. Of course, all I knew then was that I was not in Kansas anymore. It took quite some time to get here. I also had the oddest sensation I was going over a rainbow at one point – at least I saw many rays of different colors below me, like sunlight only not all yellow. When I arrived on the ground at last, I had no idea where I was. But I began to realize, after a time, that the place I'd arrived in wasn't so bad after all. All the people were rather short, though. I found out later it was called Munchkinland.

"I managed to find some lodging in a local inn. The innkeeper was kind enough to offer me free room and board if I helped him around the place. Then I met your mother. She was a very beautiful young lady, and I fell completely in love. Elphaba, I'm sorry to have to report this of the mother I'm sure you remember as perfect, but she wasn't very faithful to her husband."

"I don't remember Melena," Elphaba said at once, "All I remember is that she didn't love me any more then Frex did."

"Well, she thought I was rather handsome. So she began to visit me in my room at the inn. She was the governor's wife, which made the crime even more severe, but if the innkeeper suspected anything, he never let on that he did. He wasn't a man to gossip. But at the same time, I began to grow interested in the lands outside Munchkinland. So I told Melena I had to leave, that I couldn't stay in one place for a long time, that I was a traveler. We had one last night, this time at her house, while the governor was away on business. And we drank this." The Wizard reached into his pocket and pulled out a green glass bottle with a little bit of liquid in it. Elphaba's eyes widened.

"The green elixir! But I had one of those! It was my mother's! I think I lost it when I pretended to melt."

"You did," the Wizard agreed, "Because here it is." And he pulled out another bottle just like the first and handed it to his daughter. Elphaba held it gingerly.

"But then this is why…" Her voice trailed off.

"This is why you're green," The Wizard said gently, "I'm so sorry, Elphaba. Your mother conceived you that night. Because of the elixir, you were born green. It was all my fault. It was my elixir. I know you're my daughter because it all fits. The bottles. Your skin. Your powers. You are, essentially, a child of both worlds. My world…and this one."

Elphaba didn't speak, so he went on.

"After that, I took my balloon and came to the center of Oz. I showed the people some simple magic tricks and they thought I must be a powerful man. They called me the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and begged me to be their ruler. How could I refuse? They called me 'wonderful'. Something I'd always dreamed of being. I built the Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road.

"Years later, I met the Headmistress of Shiz University, Madame Morrible. She wanted to join forces with me to 'make Oz a better place' by getting rid of Animals. People were already revolting against them. It reminded me of racism in my own country, but I'd never quite gotten used to talking Animals in Oz, so I foolishly listened. She had ambitions and courage, and I admired that, but she had nothing to offer me if I helped her. And no means of accomplishing her goal. So I sent her back to her university until she found something that could help us."

"And that's where I came in," Elphaba said softly, "I see it now. It was all a plot for power. Morrible didn't care about me. She just thought that I had power, so I might be able to help the two of you. And since she found me, you promoted her to Press Secretary."

"Yes," the Wizard said sadly, "Yes, that was it. And you know the rest. I was blinded, Elphaba. Blinded by power. But I never meant to hurt you, I really didn't. I wanted you to help, not only because we needed you, but because there was something about you that reminded me of Melena. You resemble her, in spirit and even a bit in looks. I didn't make a familial connection; I just liked you because you reminded me of her. And I truly loved her. But it could never be, because she had a husband. Of course Melena would never have told Frex that you weren't his. Perhaps if Melena had lived she might have eventually told you…but as I understand it, she died when you weren't quite three."

"In childbirth with my younger sister," Elphaba nodded.

"I'm sorry," the Wizard said again, "There are quite a few things I would do over, if I had the chance. I understand if you never forgive me or accept that I am your father. I just thought you should know."

Elphaba didn't answer for a while. Finally she said, "You know, I always felt as if I didn't quite belong to Frex. Nessa did – I didn't. I always idolized the Wizard of Oz, but I never dreamed I was actually his daughter. As I grew older, my suspicions about my paternal background grew, but I just assumed it was because Frex didn't love me, and I didn't love him either. There was no family love between us. With you – I felt we had a connection. Even before we met. I felt that you would understand me, no matter what. When we met at last, at first I was disgusted at what you were trying to do, and then when I had time to think about it I realized there was something we did share, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Later, I wanted to join you, but Dr. Dillamond scared me so much I didn't bother to think. I just acted, and ran. I'm not as surprised about the truth as I could be. So…" she paused and stared into the Wizard's eyes. "…I think I can accept you as my father. Especially with what you did back there. Maybe I haven't completely forgiven you…but with time…I might be able to call you 'Father'."

The Wizard's eyes filled with tears of happiness. He stepped forward and embraced Elphaba. She stiffened, surprised, but then hesitantly hugged him back. Glinda, Fiyero, and the Lion watched with mingled confusion and happiness.

Just then, there was a pounding on the locked door.

"Oh no!" Fiyero gasped, "They found us!"

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	21. Elphaba's Explosion

A/N: I'm back, in less than two days! The main reason is that I'm going on vacation, so I won't be able to post again for over a week. So I thought I'd post this, which, lucky for you all, doesn't end in a cliffhanger. Enjoy, and I'll get another chapter up ASAP when I get back next week!

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**Chapter Twenty-One: Elphaba's Explosion**

Five heads turned fearfully toward the door.

"What are we going to do?" Glinda whispered.

"Out the other door," Elphaba urged. Everyone began to move toward the main door. "No, not that one! There are probably guards everywhere out there! _That _way," she pointed to the door that led to the underground cells.

Before they could take more than a few steps, however, there was a splintering sound, and, whirling about, they saw that Boq had apparently used his axe on the door and it was cracking in two. As they stared, frozen in horror, there was another gigantic cracking noise, and the door flew out of the way, the cage rolling aside, to reveal Boq and Madame Morrible. The soldiers were no longer with them.

"Don't move!" Madame Morrible shouted, aiming a rifle at the group, "Don't move or I'll shoot."

"Won't you shoot anyway?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Good point." Morrible smirked and moved the gun to aim it directly at Elphaba.

The Wizard stepped forward. "Helga, don't do this. Just put the gun down and we can-" He was interrupted by a loud gunshot. Morrible had fired just a few inches above his head. She looked wild; her eyes were wide, and she was quivering.

"Don't test me. You threw away your life when you decided to go with these _rebels_." She spat the word as if it was poisonous, and then once again cocked the gun at Elphaba. "Don't worry. I'm sick of talking about this, sick of looking at you, even, so this should be quick. It might even be painless. I wouldn't know. After all, I have never died."

Glinda protested, appealing to Boq. "Boq…I know you're in there somewhere, the real you. You don't want to do this. Please, help us!"

Boq was unmoved. "Madame Morrible is doing this for the good of the people of Oz, Glinda. If you can't see that, then you must be one of them."

"Elphaba isn't wicked, Boq. It's Morrible!" the Lion pleaded.

"This Wicked Witch has done nothing but bad for the past few years. If she lives, she will continue to taint Oz with her evil. After all, it is because of her that I am tin. It's because of her you are cowardly. And her own lover is a scarecrow because of her, yet he still stands by her. Don't you see all the wicked she's done?"

Color had started rising in Elphaba's cheeks, and her eyes were sparking dangerously. She looked livid. "You think that all my life I've been _trying _to do wicked deeds? That it was my prerogative from the very beginning to ruin lives? When I was a little child, it was always, 'Not now, we have to help Nessa,' or 'Elphaba, stop making such a spectacle of yourself! Try to _pretend _you're like everyone else!' My father made sure he lost no love on me! Oh no, heaven forbid that Nessarose should lose even an ounce of care! That a little bit of love should be wasted on _me_, the unwanted green girl! It was my job to look after Nessarose, always, because Father was too busy as governor! Every instruction was spelled out so that there was no way I could possibly screw anything up! And if anything was done wrong, I was the victim! It was always my fault! And if anything went wrong with the politics, I was the vent through which Father let his anger go! And he _never _apologized! Nessa always received the best presents, because, according to Father, I had the best gift of all – a little sister to take care of! The only reason I was sent to Shiz was so that I could look after Nessarose – and Father didn't even make sleeping arrangements for me! And though I was older, Nessarose was the one who would become governor because no one would hear of following a girl the color of an artichoke! At school, the students didn't care, no one understood! And Nessa _deserved_ you, Boq, because Oz only knows the rest of her life had been filled with discomfort! Oh yeah, my life was a picnic! And even later, Nessa still complained about having to depend on me, when I was the one who got the worse end of the deal! And not once had I thought about rescuing her from her utter _misery_! And I was the Wickeder Witch, just because I wanted to save innocent Animals! And all my life, it's been like this, and I JUST - CAN'T – TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!"

All through this yelled speech, the others had sensed a growing aura around Elphaba. The air had begun to pulse with power, and even Boq backed up, wincing. As the last word left her lips, she flung her hands out, and magic erupted from her in a wavelike, electrical rush. It hit all of them – Boq, Fiyero, Glinda, Madame Morrible, the Lion, the Wizard – and threw them backwards. It also consumed Elphaba, and she was flung to the ground as well.

The power stormed in a whirl of colors throughout the room, bouncing off walls. It formed an orb around each living being in the room, and then settled, causing a faint glow to conform to the shape of its prey.

For a moment, there was complete silence and stillness in the room. If anyone had been there to hear it, they would have felt suffocated in it all. Then Elphaba slowly sat up.

She was aching and hurt all over, but she could tell immediately that out of all of them, she was the one who was least injured. Her head spun and she felt drained because of all the power she had just released, yet she also felt…cleansed. It was odd. Then a glow from the corner of her eye distracted her.

It was Glinda. But there was something different about her. The unkempt curls had disappeared. Her hair was simply gently curled and simple, the way it had used to be. And it was…brown? And Glinda looked…younger. The worry lines had disappeared from her face, and it was smooth. Elphaba's eyes widened. What was happening?

Her eyes left Glinda and swept on to Fiyero, where, once again, she was in for a surprise. The Scarecrow was gone. In his place was a familiar human form – Fiyero before the spell. And Fiyero no longer looked worried, either. He had a peaceful smile on his face.

On to the Lion. No longer a big beast, he looked remarkably small. Like a cub. He _was _a cub. Just like that day, long ago, when Dr. Dillamond was hauled off.

The Wizard had definitely changed as well. He was no longer a gray-haired man. Instead, he had dark brown hair, and his face was free of his glasses and wrinkles. As on all the others, a faint smile curved his lips upward.

Elphaba's face turned towards Madame Morrible. At first, she thought there was no difference. Then she noticed a glimmer and realized that there was a crown on Morrible's head. This was utterly confusifying. Up until now, Elphaba had thought that this was a view of the past. But Madame Morrible had never been a queen – had she?

With a shake of her head, Elphaba turned to the last figure in the room and received a shock. Boq was Boq all right, human once more, but he was violently shaking, his expression contorted in pain. Even as Elphaba watched, his suffering seemed to grow stronger, and he pierced the silence with a sharp cry. Elphaba wasted no time in getting to his side.

"Elphie? Is that you?"

Elphaba turned to see Glinda standing there, a disbelieving frown on her face. She still looked young and chipper, and somewhat out of place in the magnificent gown.

"Of course it's me!" Elphaba snapped. When Glinda flinched, she regretted it. In a gentler tone, she added, "Who else could it be?"

"It's just…your skin! It's normal – white, I mean. And you look so young…when did you put your hair back in braids?"

"What?" Elphaba held her hand in front of her face. It was green. She rubbed it, but nothing happened, "Glinda, my hand isn't-˝ Then, she remembered the change she had seen in everyone else. Could what Glinda saw be her own reaction to the magic?

Glinda was now looking past Elphaba at Boq, who was writhing on the floor. "Dear Oz, is that Boq? What's wrong with him? And what's going on?"

Elphaba decided Boq could wait a moment. "Glinda, look at the others."

Glinda looked. And her eyes got wider and wider with each sight. "They're all…changed! They look younger. Except Madame Morrible, that is."

"And you have, too, and so have I. To me, Glinda you look like a schoolgirl, young and carefree. The same as I remember from Shiz, only now you have brown hair. Maybe we just can't see the change in ourselves."

Glinda seemed more agitated by the 'brown hair' statement. "I have brown hair?" She put a hand on her head and frowned, then sighed. "Unfortunately, all I feel are intricate, though admittedly messy, curls."

Elphaba nodded. It all made sense. Just then, Fiyero joined them. The girls stared at him. He stared back.

"Elphaba? Glinda?" He received two nods. "You both look...different. Like, why is your skin white, Elphaba, and Glinda – what's with the hair?" The two women proceeded to tell him what they knew, and Fiyero took a glance at the rest of the room, and then looked at himself. "All I see are cloth hands," he said sadly. Then a shriek made his attention turn to Boq. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, his eyes not showing any true concern.

"I don't know," Elphaba said softly, kneeling once more beside the former tinman.

She had barely started formulating a plan when the Lion woke up, closely followed by the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Enmities forgotten for the moment, Fiyero and Glinda filled them in, and then they all crowded around Boq, though Madame Morrible stayed far away from Elphaba and the Lion was practically dancing in fright.

They all stood silently as Elphaba examined the Munchkin. She avoided touching him in case it hurt him somehow, but finally she had no choice. Carefully, she laid a hand on his forehead, and gasped as she was electrically shocked.

"He has electricity coursing through him!" She told the others in surprised tones, "I know some of the magic was electric, but none of you got hurt, did you?" They all shook their heads.

"I'm no doctor, and I'm certainly not a thinker, but Boq is-well, was, a tinman, right? Well, metal conducts electricity." Fiyero said slowly.

They all gasped. "Fiyero, you're a genius!" Glinda squealed.

He blushed, "Well, thanks…I guess."

Elphaba put her hand under Boq's head, carefully, ignoring the shocks. She studied him carefully. He was still moaning, though softer and softer each time.

"His pulse is failing. I'm not sure I can do anything now." She said, finding herself deeply saddened by this. Her anger of a few minutes ago had evaporated, and so had the malicious Boq. Now all that was left was a broken Munchkin man.

"Glin-da…" they all froze as Boq rasped out the word. All eyes turned to Glinda.

"Let me hold him," Glinda said, coming forward. Elphaba slipped out from under him, allowing Glinda to take her place.

"Shhh, I'm here. It's all right. Oh, Boq…" Glinda sighed mournfully.

"I'm…sorry."

"No, no, no, I should have paid attention to you; I shouldn't have pretended I didn't know that you loved me." Glinda protested feebly.

"I have…always…loved you," he managed.

"I know."

"Elphaba…" he said hoarsely.

She knelt down again. "Yes?"

"I'm…sorry. Nessa…all…my fault."

Tears were cascading freely down Elphaba's face, and she didn't feel the pain. "If I hadn't turned you into a tinman, you would be okay!" she wailed.

"No." he replied, "You saved…me. You all…saved…Oz."

"You can't leave us, Boq! Not now! Hold on! We can still save you!"

"I'll be…seeing…Nessarose…again. I can…apologize. We'll be…waiting for you all. Don't come…too soon."

"We'll miss you," Glinda whispered. There wasn't anything else to say. They all nodded, minus Madame Morrible.

"No one mourns the wicked," he replied with his last breath, and then his head lolled over. Boq was gone from the world forever. The glow around him shimmered, and then disappeared, leaving in its wake a motionless tinman.

But this tinman had a gentle expression on his face, a slightly relaxed smile that hadn't been seen on Boq's face for a long time. It seemed as if his ugly demeanor had vanished – his anger gone. And then they all noticed one more thing – Boq's heart, his token from the Wizard, had stopped ticking.

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A/N: Review!


	22. Fire!

A/N: Well, I'm back from Hilton Head, and it was tons of fun! We saw dolphins up close in the ocean and got a bunch of cool shells right off the beach! On a story-related note, I got one review for the last chapter asking what spell Elphaba used on everyone. She was very angry, and she wasn't even consciously using magic at all. It wasn't really a spell, more like an explosion of power from inside her, combining her different magic. It was a little of everything. I hope that clears that up.

Also, I most likely won't update for another week or so, because school starts next week for me and I haven't finished my summer reading, of which I have a lot!

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**Chapter Twenty-Two: Fire!**

It was when the group slowly backed away from the tin figure that they realized Madame Morrible had disappeared. Faintly, Glinda had a feeling that they should go after her. She thought about telling Elphaba, but everyone else seemed distracted, and had formed a circle some ways away. Glinda slipped in between Elphaba and the Lion, who was the size of a large cat.

Finally, Fiyero spoke. "So…why do you think we all look different?"

Elphaba, who was leaning against him, exhausted by her power surge, shook her head. "I thought at first we all looked like we did in the past, but judging by my reaction – that you all see and I don't – that's can't be the case."

The Wizard spoke up for the first time in a while. "I think I may have it. Maybe we look like what we most desire to look like, consciously or unconsciously. Or perhaps, for some of us, our appearance reflects instead the happiest times of our lives, where we wish we could be in this dark time."

Everyone thought about it, impressed.

The Lion nodded his little head and spoke in a comically deep voice far out of proportion for his body. "It does make sense. I always dream about being a Cub again, back in the forest with my mother. That's where I would be, if I had a choice. I've been in the forest since I was taken, of course, but I couldn't find my mother. For all I know, Morrible's already wiped out my whole family."

Fiyero twisted Elphaba's hair around his hand. "Yeah. I sure wish I was still a human." Seeing Elphaba's eyes drop sadly to the floor, he added quickly, "But then I'd be dead. I'd much rather be alive as a Scarecrow than dead as a human."

Glinda still looked confused. "But I don't want brown hair," she protested, "I've always loved being blonde."

"Maybe this is one of those unconscious times," the Lion suggested, "You may not realize you've always wanted brown hair."

Glinda shook her head slowly. "No, I love my hair…but I _have _always wished that people wouldn't look at me and presume I'm shallow and all about glitz. My hair seems to lead them to think false things like that. Brown hair could symbolize me wishing I was seen in a real way – certainly I would no longer be considered a blonde."

Elphaba agreed with the others as she turned to the Wizard. "There was a time when I thought that you could degreenify me. I always fantasized about it. If I could have anything for myself, I wish I could be normal."

The Wizard shook his head regretfully, looking at his daughter. "Unfortunately, as you've since discovered, I have no real power. I'm a good man…I'm just a bad wizard. All I managed was to give you green skin in the first place. My wish, why I appear to you as a young man, is that I could go back to before I came to Oz, back to the farm. Then I would come to Oz, because I love this land, but start all over. Not bring the green elixir, and never become the 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' I don't regret what happened with Melena...I was young then, and I'm happy to have you, Elphaba. But if I didn't have the elixir, you would be normal."

Elphaba reached over Fiyero and squeezed her father's hand briefly, smiling her first real smile in a long time.

"Thanks for that," she said, "But you don't have to lie to me."

"Elphie!" Glinda chided, pinching her friend's arm.

The Wizard was frowning, looking at Elphaba, but as if he couldn't see her. "It's not lying…" he said slowly, "It's…"

"Looking at things another way?" Fiyero supplied, shooting Elphaba a smile.

"Well-˝ the Wizard started, but an earsplitting shriek from outside interrupted his statement.

"What was that?" The Lion asked, jumping up and cowering. The others were already on their feet.

The main door to the room slammed open. A guard stood there, looking rumpled and terrified. "The Palace is on fire! Fire! Fire!" He proceeded to run around in circles, shrieking like a girl, for about ten seconds before he collapsed in a faint.

Everyone froze for about three seconds. Then the Lion let out a strangled whimper and began hyperventilating.

"We're all going to burn! I'm too young to die! This can't be happening! No, no, no! I'm too young. I haven't even settled down yet! This can't be happening! I-˝ But then he, too, collapsed, shaking.

A thump made everyone turn from the Lion. Fiyero had fallen to his knees. He looked nothing short of paralyzed.

Now that the Lion's mutterings were as quiet as whispers, the roar of the fire could be heard, and the air seemed to have gotten just a tad bit warmer. But no fire could be seen yet or felt too clearly.

"What are we going to do?" Glinda moaned, digging her nails into her cheeks. Elphaba had dropped to her knees beside Fiyero. She didn't answer.

The Wizard took charge. "Elphaba, tell your handsome swain that he'd better get up, because I'm not carrying him and we _will _leave him behind. Glinda, get the Lion _up_. This is no time for panicking!"

Glinda went over to the Lion, kindness but a definite strict base in her tone. "Lion, we've got to go. Please get up! We're going to be fine, but we have to _move_." The Lion only whimpered. Glinda, frightened as she was, lost her patience much quicker than usual. "Get _up_ you impossible thing! Up, I tell you! Have some courage!" she kicked him.

Slowly, still violently trembling, the Lion rose. His still-cub-size tail swished back and forth anxiously.

Meanwhile, Elphaba was having better luck with Fiyero. He had risen, but his straw legs weren't supporting him very well. Elphaba held him up. The Wizard had gone to examine the guard who had fainted.

"I don't want to leave him," he said, shaking his head, "But I don't see what we can do."

Even as he said this, the man jumped up. "Gotta get out!" he muttered, and he dashed out.

The Wizard had jumped back in surprise, but he recovered from his shock and turned to Elphaba. "Where's your broom? You're going to have to fly Fiyero to safety."

"I don't have it. It…broke," Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Then let's levitate another one!" the Wizard snapped. The pressure was clearly getting to him.

"I can't!" Elphaba yelled, "I don't remember the spell! I need the Grimmerie!"

"Then go get it!" the Wizard roared. Elphaba burst into tears, clapping her hands to her face and letting Fiyero sag.

"Stop it, both of you!" Glinda reprimanded, understanding that the pressure and fear was causing their distress. "Let's work this out before we go charging anywhere!" Her voice had gotten so authoritative that everyone looked at her. "Now – we have the advantage of air travel. I can fly in my bubble, but unfortunately, I can't carry anyone with me. You still have your balloon, right?" she asked the Wizard.

"It's outside, if the fire hasn't reached it," he affirmed.

"Objective one is to get the Grimmerie. Not only to levitate a broom, but also because that book is very important, and I don't know what would happen if it burned. Objective two is to reach the balloon. If enough sandbags are released, the Lion should be able to ride along. Then I'll go in my bubble and supervise, and Elphaba and Fiyero can ride the broom. We'll go above the flames to reach safety."

"What about the fire? Can't we do anything to stop it?" Elphaba asked.

Glinda shook her head. Her blonde curls bobbed, and it was then that everyone realized the spell had faded. Fiyero was full scarecrow once more, the Wizard was old, the Lion no longer a cub, Elphaba green, and Glinda blonde. There wasn't time to marvel over this, however.

"We can't stop the fire," Glinda explained, "For all we know, it's spreading all over the city. Our best chance for survival is escape, and to try to lead as many as possible to safety. By the end of the day, there may not even be an Emerald City." Her words held sorrow but certainty. "And we have to leave Boq, too," she added, "There's nothing more we can do for him."

"This is all Morrible's doing," Elphaba said angrily, "I'll bet you she went and set fire to the city, and then she'll act like the savior and rebuild it and everyone will bow down to her. After all, we all saw her crown. She wants to be _queen_," she sneered.

Fiyero opened his mouth to speak, but a scream and a thunderous crash that shook the Palace interrupted him. They exchanged glances, and, without speaking, ran. Glinda led, followed by Fiyero, Elphaba, the Lion, and the Wizard.

On the way to Glinda's room, where the book of spells had been last seen, they came across many servants rushing to and fro and carrying bags overflowing with all kinds of things – clothes, books, even, in one case, a lamp. Glinda urged them all to head for the nearest exit and get out of the city as quickly as they could. Everyone was in such a hurry that no one noticed or stopped to ponder that their ruler and Head Guard were accompanied by the supposedly dead Wicked Witch, a familiar Scarecrow, and the supposedly gone Wizard. Even some of Boq's guards rushed by without a second glance at the escaping "prisoners."

Finally, Glinda stopped one of the Palace guards. "Where did the fire start? Has it spread very far?"

It was clear the guard wanted to go, probably to find his family, but luckily he still felt compelled to answer his queen. "It started in one of the halls in the East Wing, my lady, and it's coming this way! The entire East Wing is gone!" And he ran off in a panic.

Glinda turned to the others, her eyes conveying their worst fear. "My room is in the East Wing! The Grimmerie!" And she took off running, the others sprinting along after her.

"Glinda – we haven't seen the fire yet," Elphaba panted, struggling to keep up, "Maybe it hasn't come as far as the guards think."

That hope was dashed when, after turning a corner, the group was met by a towering wall of flame, instantly singing their hair.

"Oh!" Glinda shrieked, and the group did an abrupt about-face and stumbled back along the corridor, pushing each other to go faster. They didn't meet any Palace residents – they'd all gotten as far away from the fire as possible. Suddenly, there was a great crumbling sound over their heads.

"The ceiling! It's going to collapse on top of us!" Elphaba shouted.

This imminent danger pushed the group to go even faster. But it was no use. There was a crack and the ceiling right in front of the group fell with a crash, forming a wall directly ahead. They were trapped.

"No!" shrieked Glinda, hurling herself at the rubble.

Fiyero pressed himself against the wall, looking like he might throw up. Elphaba's face had gone a pale green, and she crumpled to the floor helplessly. The Lion was sobbing into his paws. Even the Wizard was lost.

"We must get out! We must get out! I won't die like this! I won't, do you hear me?" Glinda half-sobbed, half-screamed as she pounded on the rubble.

The fire was creeping closer…

A soft murmuring voice made everyone look up. Elphaba was kneeling by the fallen ceiling and moving her arms in a spell.

"Ah ven tatey, ah ven tatey, ah may, ah tay, ah tum tatey…"

Dimly, Glinda and the Wizard recognized the levitation spell, but they could hardly believe what they were hearing. Elphaba was attempting to levitate the rubble!

"I thought you didn't remember the spell," Glinda whispered hoarsely.

Elphaba didn't answer, so immersed was she in her task. But nothing was happening, and Elphaba was tiring. Her power wasn't enough…Glinda suddenly realized what needed to be done, and she knelt beside her friend, taking hold of Elphaba's arm and concentrating all her power into Elphaba, and thus the spell. The other three could do nothing. Fiyero was watching, but his eyes were vague and out-of-focus. The Lion was whimpering, head under his paws, and the Wizard was watching the fire anxiously.

"It's coming closer…" he warned, backing away from the heat. Fiyero moaned. The two witches wore determined expressions, their fear lost under the importance of their undertaking. Their words were getting louder, more fierce. The debris began to shift.

"AH VEN TATEY, AH VEN TATEY, AH TUM AH TUM!" With one last burst of energy, the fallen ceiling blew out of the way, leaving their path clear. Even as the fire licked their heels, the group took off running, faster then before, through the halls of the now-deserted Palace.

They had nearly reached the front doors, wide open and swinging, when they heard frantic pounding and screaming coming from a broom closet down the hall. A quick glance back showed the fire eating away at the Palace quickly, but Elphaba ran down the hall anyways. Fiyero started to go after her, but Glinda pulled him back.

"She'll be right back! Let's go!" she shouted, and she pulled the scarecrow out the door, ignoring his protests.

Just as they and the Lion and the Wizard sprinted down to the open Palace gates, there was a thunder-like crack and a thunderous crash as the Palace collapsed into a mass of flames.

"NO! Elphaba!" Fiyero shouted, pulling free of Glinda and running toward the mound of what was once the center of the Emerald City, now overridden by flames.

"Over here! It's all right! We're all right!" a familiar voice shouted

Turning, they saw Elphaba hurrying toward them, tailed by a very sooty Pfanee and Shen-Shen.

"You're all right!" Glinda gasped in relief as Elphaba and Fiyero embraced, "And you found _them-_" She broke off as she remembered how Pfanee and Shen-Shen had betrayed her. They both looked extremely uncomfortable, having just been rescued by the very person they had been working against.

"They were locked in a broom closet," Elphaba explained, "But a simple fireball melted the lock. And look – I got a broom!" She proudly held up a simple broomstick.

"How come now you can do all this magic, but earlier you couldn't do any spells at all? And I thought you forgot the levitation spell!" Glinda accused, not really angrily, just curiously.

Elphaba shook her head. "I think it has to do with how I'm feeling. Like, when I did the levitation spell it was a life-or-death situation, and the same when I just made that fireball."

"I hate to interrupt this revelation, but we're not out of this yet," the Wizard said, pointing around at the city, "Look!"

He was right. The fire had caught, and it was now spreading rapidly among the buildings throughout the main square. People and Animals alike were rushing from their homes with belongings piled up haphazardly in their arms. An eerie echo of song could be heard.

_What a way to be fleeing the city…_

Elphaba and Glinda exchanged a fear-filled glance.

"One short day…" Glinda whispered.

The fire grew.

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A/N: Kind of a bad ending, I know, but I had to end it somewhere. The chapter would have been way too long otherwise! So review!


	23. Steamed Artichoke

A/N: So, I'm sorry I haven't updated in sixteen days. I know it often takes much longer for other fics, but I enjoy fast updates as much as anyone else, so I try to update as much as possible. Good news is, I've almost made it through my second week of school, so things should settle down, and I've also taken a last minute extreme interest in this story, so I'll probably be updating a lot.

I noticed a lot of people have added this story to their 'Favorites' or 'Story Alerts' lists, but haven't reviewed. Please, guys, feel free to review! I accept anonymous reviews, and would love to hear any random thought! Don't be shy, I am a very random and accepting person myself!

Lastly, this is when the story (in my opinion) is at its best point. It is, shall we say, the climax. So get ready for drama, and a lot of yelling...The one thing you need to know about this chapter is that I invented an Ozian cuss word. You know, like how they invented confusifying? So I invented one as well. It is 'darbus.' Yes, you may recognize the word as the drama teacher's name from High School Musical (which, by the way, I do not endorse), and it won't sound intimidating when you hear it in here. You may even laugh, but I've had that word stuck in my head today, so I decided what the heck. Keep in mind, it is meant to be a very bad Ozian cuss word.

After the longest author's note I've ever done and most likely will ever do, on to the chapter!

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**Chapter Twenty-Three: Steamed Artichoke**

"What should we do?" Glinda yelled in desperation.

"We'll never find the balloon in all this!" Elphaba screeched, "It was too close to the Palace, it'll be up in flames now!"

"She's right," the Wizard said sadly, "There's no chance it's still there, or of finding it if it was."

"We have to do something!" Fiyero warned, "Levitate that broom!"

Elphaba knelt immediately and hurriedly chanted the levitation spell, so fast the words were indistinguishable. The broom rose into the air and Elphaba grasped it. It was as if that last addition to her person once again made her the Wicked Witch – she looked fierce.

"We can't just give up! I'll levitate a house if I have to!" she cackled at the irony. Pfanee, Shen-Shen, and the Lion shied away, but Glinda, Fiyero and the Wizard smiled, despite their situation.

Just then, there were a number of shrieks overhead, and, looking up, they saw the Flying Monkeys descending rapidly toward them out of the sky.

"I guess we won't need that house after all!" the Wizard said unnecessarily as the Monkeys landed beside their mistress, Chistery at their head.

"Fiewo tell us to wait in forest, but we see fire and come to help save!" he announced.

"Chistery, thank Oz! We were beginning to wonder what to do!" Elphaba gasped, "I'll fly on the broom – can you manage with the others?"

"Of course," Chistery said in a slightly offended tone.

"I _do _wish I had my bubble," Glinda said regretfully, eyeing the Monkeys beside her.

"Well, you don't have your wand to conjure your bubble, so nothing can be done about that. The Monkeys aren't going to _drop _you Glinda…unless you squirm," Elphaba's rather wicked grin did nothing to help Glinda's confidence as she was lifted gently into the air by two of Chistery's band.

The Lion allowed himself to be lifted off the ground – he looked too afraid to move anyways – and Fiyero had flown via Monkey before. Even the Wizard, who was receiving dirty looks from all of the Monkeys, did not flinch as they picked him up. Pfanee and Shen-Shen, however, screamed and began to run.

"Pfanee! Shen-Shen! No!" Glinda screamed. She tried to run after them, but Elphaba and the Monkeys were way ahead of her. Elphaba swooped down and blocked their path, and the Monkeys carefully grasped them under the arms and flew them up. Shen-Shen kept screaming, but Pfanee closed her eyes tight and was silent.

Elphaba rose into the air along with her friends. She shouted to the Monkeys not holding anyone, "If you see any stragglers, anyone in danger, try to lift them up to safety! They will fight back, so hold tight!" She had no sooner finished saying this then three Monkeys swooped down and rescued two small children from the middle of a burning mass of buildings. The children screamed, especially when they caught sight of Elphaba on her broom.

"Figure of childhood nightmares," Elphaba muttered. She'd never liked children much, but she wasn't about to let those two be burned to death, either. "Fly ahead – put them down somewhere free of flames. At the end of the city, if you can get there and back quickly. They're just kids, after all." She instructed the rescuers. The three Monkeys flew off obediently.

The city was being destroyed right before their eyes. People and Animals and animals alike were streaming from every nook and cranny. Elphaba had never realized just how many inhabitants the city had. Most had abandoned their belongings and were just running for their lives, clutching on to family members as if their life depended on it. Which it did. Others were still clinging desperately to their favorite things, their family heirlooms, or other knickknacks. Everyone was so busy running that no one even noticed the flying creatures above their heads.

"Elphaba! It's Morrible!" Fiyero shouted suddenly.

In horror, Elphaba looked down where Fiyero was pointing. Madame Morrible was there, lifted above the ground by a mini-tornado she'd probably conjured herself. In one arm, she held the Grimmerie. In the other, she grasped Glinda's wand. Below her, the Gale Force was having a heated battle with a ragtag group of Animals. The Animals, despite their best efforts, were losing by far. Most of them did not have weapons, and had only their horns, claws, and teeth to defend themselves, whereas the Gale Force had their armor, spears, guns, and shields.

Elphaba's eyes widened in anger and fear. She immediately zoomed downward on her broom. A shot rang out, and suddenly the broom spun in midair and began to fall.

"Elphie! No! We have to help her!" Glinda squealed.

For once, the Monkeys didn't argue. They flew downward quickly, landing even as a barrage of bullets came their way. Pfanee and Shen-Shen ran off right away, but no one was paying any attention to them anymore. Once the Monkeys had released their charges, they flew off to join their fellow Animals in the battle.

"Elphaba!" the Wizard shouted, looking around.

"Look!" the Lion exclaimed, looking up at the sky. Following his gaze, they saw Elphaba slowly floating to the ground, completely unhurt, held up by her own powers. She landed lightly, and without taking any notice of her companions, marched right past them to the base of Morrible's tornado. The guards near her shrank back. And no wonder.

"Uh-oh…" Fiyero murmured.

Elphaba looked livid. Her face was contorted in fury, and her eyes were flashing. Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. There was a red glow around her.

"MORRIBLE!!!!!!!" she boomed. Her voice carried clearly through both armies, despite the raging fire. Everyone stopped fighting and turned to watch.

Madame Morrible looked down and smiled sweetly. "Why, our guest of honor has arrived at last."

"WHAT THE DARBUS IS GOING ON HERE?"

"Miss Elphaba, there really is no need for profanity."

"NO NEED FOR PROFANITY? WHY YOU-" and here Elphaba broke into a series of words and phrases that none of the others had even known she _knew_.

"Elphaba!" the Wizard gasped, looking scandalized.

"Elphie!" Glinda squeaked.

Madame Morrible pretended to be horrified. "Elphaba, that kind of language is unnecessary among _civilized _people."

"_CIVILIZED _PEOPLE? _CIVILIZED _PEOPLE?" Elphaba cackled derisively. "Funny, I was under the impression I was a barbaric WICKED WITCH!!" She looked steamed. Anyone else would have cowered under that look, even fled. Madame Morrible continued to smile.

"Temper, temper…"

Elphaba practically stomped her foot on the ground in protest. "I am so SICK of you trying to ruin my life! And trying to ruin so many other lives, too! Who do you think you are? You have no right! Look at all these Animals! What have they ever done to you? You're just a…a WICKED WITCH!!!!"

Morrible snickered. "Why, thank you," she said, "I'll accept your compliment gladly."

Glinda sidled up next to Elphaba, fuming. "I don't think she meant it as a compliment," she said coldly, "I think she meant that you can rot in-" here she glanced around at the Wizard, "-the Underworld."

Morrible's eyes narrowed. "I never would have thought you capable of such _wicked _language, Miss G_a_linda."

Glinda didn't miss the 'Ga'. She opened her mouth to retaliate, but Morrible continued.

"And how _is _dear Biq?"

That was the last straw. Simulataneously, both Elphaba and Glinda launched themselves at Morrible. At the same time, the two armies resumed their battle, and the other three joined the fray. The war had begun.

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A/N: So what do you think? This is what I've really been looking forward to writing! Review!


	24. The Battle

A/N: This is a really long chapter. On my computer, it's six typed pages. It was going to be nine, but I split off the end part to use as the next chapter. So, next chapter will be relatively short, but it will most likely be up tomorrow, since I love to update so much, and it's done anyways.

This is the battle. At first, I hated it. Now I can't decide if I still hate it or if it's my favorite chapter. So make sure you tell me what you think!

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**Chapter Twenty-Four: The Battle**

Storm clouds began to form overhead, and thunder boomed deafeningly. Madame Morrible was undoubtedly calling it on – her arms were raised to the heavens, the Grimmerie and Glinda's wand seeming only to add to her power. However, even as she called on thunder and lightning, she never took her eyes of the two advancing witches.

Glinda never reached Morrible. In mid-lunge, a powerful gust of wind whipped through, knocking her aside easily. Elphaba was smarter. As she ran forward, she chanted quickly and meaningfully, arms waving in some incantation. Apparently, possession of the Grimmerie was no longer an issue. Therefore, when the green-skinned witch found herself face-to-face with her former headmistress, power encased her arms up to her elbows.

A glimmer of admiration shone in Morrible's eyes for just an instant; then they were cold and cruel once more.

"Ah, Miss Elphaba…perhaps – a levitation spell?" Morrible was only mocking what she'd once said, but Elphaba laughed nastily.

"As you wish!" She thrust her arms down, and a spell sent her rocketing skywards even as she tossed some sort of golden ball at her opponent. Morrible knocked it aside with another sweep of wind and sent a cloud of hail at Elphaba, who spread her arms wide and projected a green shield that absorbed the hail and, a moment later, sent it shooting back at its maker.

The Press Secretary blew the hail into pieces just in time, but in order to do so, she had to drop the Grimmerie from under her arm. Elphaba saw her chance, and sent the book flying upwards, causing it to slap Morrible on the face – hard.

"But the book-" spluttered Morrible, too confused to do more than shield her face from its onslaughter, "-You can't perform magic _on_ it. Except if you're – if you're-"

"The one true Wielder?" the Wizard finished, popping up from nowhere. "Yes. A child of both worlds indeed, Helga. The Grimmerie comes from my world. Only a child of that world, at least partly, and one with strong powers at that, can be the Wielder. Now that the book has forged a connection to its rightful owner, it will only respond to her."

With a roar of rage, Morrible charged at the Wizard, but Elphaba shoved him aside and blew her backwards with a wave of energy. The Grimmerie flew upward of its own accord, hovering about thirty feet in the air.

Glinda chose that moment to reappear, but she was helpless without her wand. Seeing this, Elphaba began to call up a spell to help her friend, but the Lion appeared and knocked Morrible down. The wand flew out of her hand and cartwheeled gracefully through the air, before Glinda caught it neatly, looking almost surprised to find it in her possession.

"I guess our magical belongings really _do _know us," she breathed, grasping hers tightly.

There was no time to think about it, though, because Morrible had used her own gale to propel herself towards the blonde woman. Glinda immediately changed her stance to a more defensive pose.

"Well, well, well, Glinda. It looks like it's you and me!" Morrible cackled.

Glinda looked around for Elphaba, but she had been drawn into the fight against the Gale Force. Turning to face Morrible again, she bit her lip and tried to look brave and intimidating.

"I guess so!"

"You can't beat me, you know."

Glinda scowled. "Maybe not – but I can try!" And with that she waved her wand in one swift motion, causing a large, blue bubble to appear. It floated towards Morrible, who looked at it skeptically. Then it suddenly went right into her, catching her in its sticky web. Morrible shrieked angrily as she struggled to break free of the bubble. Then she stopped as if she had an idea, and an instant later a tiny rain cloud appeared right over her head. It rained, and the bubble dissolved.

Glinda was ready. She waved her wand again, causing sharp little sparkly darts to zoom right towards Morrible, but Morrible swept them aside angrily.

"Does everything you do have to be personalized?"

"Does everything you do have to be evil?" Glinda replied. It was a bad comeback, and she knew it. Morrible laughed gleefully.

"Yes."

--

Elphaba battled furiously among the Animals, felling many soldiers with her spells, which they were not prepared to guard themselves against. Fiyero had managed to acquire a sword from somewhere, and he did the best he could with it, though it was rather heavy for a scarecrow to handle. He was run through by many spears, but being made of straw, none of them affected him in the slightest. The Lion was assisting his Lion relatives. All evidence of cowardliness was gone from him now – he fought fiercely. The Wizard, who was not particularly helpful in situations like this, did his best with some simple magic tricks, trying to distract the soldiers.

A shriek made Elphaba turn quickly. Madame Morrible was caught in some sort of sticky bubble material, and Glinda was watching slightly fearfully. Elphaba thought about going to assist against Morrible, but Glinda seemed to be doing all right by herself, and Elphaba knew she was needed where she was.

"Elphaba! There too many!" Chistery, who was flapping above the soldiers along with a few other Monkeys, warned, "We can't beat them!"

Elphaba knew Chistery was right. They couldn't beat the soldiers – at least not at the present moment. She tried to think of some spell that might help, but nothing came to mind, and there was no time to look at the Grimmerie.

A grunt and thud from behind her made Elphaba turn quickly.

A soldier was lying, unconscious, at her feet. Fiyero was standing over him, his sword clutched in his cloth hands. He had an angry, twisted expression on his face that completely contradicted his normal gentle smile.

"Fiyero?"

He looked up and met her eyes, and the anger faded. "He-he was sneaking up on you."

Elphaba smiled, but she didn't get the opportunity to say anything else as the battle swept her lover out of her sight.

Something knocked into her from behind, and she turned, ready to engage, only to see a Goat standing there, looking confusedly up at her.

Elphaba gasped. "Dr. Dillamond?" she asked. The Goat almost smiled and seemed to nod his head.

"Baaaaaad," he said.

"Oh, I wish you could speak!" Elphaba said wistfully, "At least go – get out of here, go someplace safe! You can't fight like this."

"Elphaba, I'm running out of tricks!" the Wizard interrupted, running up beside his daughter.

Dr. Dillamond yelped in fear and galloped off, disappearing quickly. Elphaba looked after him for a moment before responding.

"I know. I don't know we should do…" she mused.

"If we don't do something fast, there won't be any Animals left to fight."

Elphaba looked around distractedly. She saw that their side couldn't hold on much longer. Glinda looked weary, and was barely holding up against Morrible. But if Elphaba left the Animals to help, they'd all be killed. Just as she was contemplating the benefits of taking time to look for a spell, she heard Fiyero calling.

"Elphaba! Glinda! _Help_!"

Elphaba's heart leapt to her throat and she spun, searching for the scarecrow. Her momentary lapse of attention to the people behind her caused her to not notice the spinning mini-tornado coming towards her until she was caught in it.

"Elphie!" Glinda screamed, as the tornado swirled higher and higher, and Elphaba was tossed around inside it, gasping for air and wincing a little from the needle-like stings of the damp air. When she thought she wouldn't be able to hold her breath any longer, an opening appeared ahead of her and she was thrust through it. She tried to get free of the cyclone, but at the last moment she was sucked back in, tendrils of air wrapping tightly around her ankles, her waist, and twisting her arms behind her back. Another tendril curled its way up her neck and around her mouth. She couldn't move or make any noise.

Fifty feet below, Madame Morrible cackled evilly. "Elphaba! Glinda! _Help_!" she mocked. She turned to look at something to her right, and Elphaba was forced to look that way, too. Fiyero was tied up on a pole, and two soldiers with lit torches were standing right next to him. He was squirming helplessly.

Soldiers all over the area held spears and guns and swords to Animal's throats. The Animals were frozen in fear. One order from Morrible, and they would all be wiped out.

Elphaba's eyes widened in horror, but the more she struggled, the tighter she was held, until her eyes were watering in pain. She wondered why Glinda, who was right next to Morrible, wasn't doing anything – then she realized that Glinda wasn't moving. She was frozen in place, held by some sort of spell. Only her eyes moved, wide in fear.

Elphaba tried to shout something down at Morrible, but that only let the tornado fog creep in her mouth until it choked her. The more she coughed for breath, the more breath eluded her.

Madame Morrible snickered, looking straight at Elphaba. "No, let's hear what the Witch has to say. Last words, Miss Elphaba?"

The tendril around Elphaba's mouth relinquished with a wave of Morrible's hand. Elphaba struggled for air for a minute. Then she took a deep breath.

"I wish I were down there right now, so I could wring your neck!" she shouted, "So that I could dismember your body and feed it to the Wolves who've lost their families because of you! I would take great pleasure in killing you slowly. In causing you some of the pain you've caused everyone else! And we'd all dance on your grave! You wicked darbus-head-" At that point, Elphaba was once again gagged. The tendrils holding her in place squeezed tighter than ever before, prompting her to shout out in pain, a shout muffled by her gag.

Madame Morrible spoke smoothly. "Yes, well, you're not down here, are you? I am. And I can tell you, I am growing ever more tired of your _games_. I would enjoy nothing more than to draw this out – but that would only take up time, and I'm sick of wasting it. So…" She turned to the torch-holders next to the pole where Fiyero was tied.

Elphaba once again tried to shout out, and to her surprise, the gag released her and her other bonds loosened slightly.

Morrible grinned. "We might as well hear exactly how loud you can scream. Let's see, Elphaba…how long do you think it takes for straw to burn?"

Elphaba screamed, "No!" and began to thrash, kicking and screaming with all of her might. "FIYERO!!!!"

"Elphaba!" Fiyero called back to her. He, too, was struggling helplessly, "ELPHABA!!!!"

It was no use. The torch-bearers piled a mound of straw beneath the pole and set it ablaze.

"Fiyero!" another voice joined the mix. It was Glinda. Morrible had unfrozen her from the shoulders up, and she was looking on in horror.

"NO!" the Wizard suddenly yelled, jumping out and running towards Fiyero, "No!" A gunshot rang out, and he feel in a heap, motionless.

"Stop it!" Elphaba shrieked, tears cascading down her cheeks, "Stop it!"

The fire had nearly reached Fiyero now. He was too terrified to even scream as a spark jumped from the straw pile to his own body and set it ablaze.

"FIYERO!!!!!" Elphaba shouted. She squirmed desperately, shouting, sobbing, and chanting all at once, and suddenly the cyclone released its hold on her and _exploded _into wisps of moisture.

Morrible watched in confusion and surprise as Elphaba fell down fifty feet, practically gliding the last few, and sprinted towards Fiyero. No one stopped her as she flew past the soldiers, reached _through _the flames, and pulled Fiyero down, stamping frantically all over him to put them out. She had to have some kind of magic protection - the fire didn't seem to burn her or even catch on her clothing. And when one soldier caught his wits and shot a bullet at her, though it was well-aimed, it flew completely off-target.

When the fire was out, Elphaba flung herself to her knees and began a complex string of spells, only some of them recognizable. "…eleka nahmen nahmen, ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen, eleka nahmen nahmen, ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen…a say a tay iray sachay, gobay eleka nahmen…"

Finally, she finished, panting heavily. She cradled the scarecrow in her arms, waiting for something. But there was nothing. He was gone.

Behind her, Madame Morrible, who had not moved this entire time, laughed. "You're too late!" she screeched. Thunder boomed overhead, and a fierce wind whipped through the area. "You're too late!"

Elphaba laid Fiyero's body gently on the ground. She turned slowly to face Morrible. "You just made a _big _mistake," she said in a deadly whisper, her voice trembling with contained fury.

Madame Morrible stepped back, her smile slipping as the green witch calmly walked towards her.

"Elphie…?" Glinda said uncertainly as Elphaba stalked right past her.

Elphaba hardly looked like herself. Her eyes had turned a fiery red, and her teeth were clenched. They looked…sharper than usual. Her fingers were spouting sparks. It was obvious – this was a supremely enraged Elphaba Thropp. The worst anyone had ever seen her.

"Now, now, Elphaba…" the Madame's voice trembled as she continued to back away. "Maybe we can, uh, work something out."

Elphaba cackled, and this time the cackle erupted forth, echoing and expanding, bouncing off everything in the area. Along with her changed appearance, she now truly resembled a 'Wicked Witch.' Every creature in the area, including Glinda, shuddered in fear.

"There will be no deals today. You will die, and nothing you do can change that." Elphaba's answer came, low and threatening. It didn't even sound like _her_.

Morrible sent a half-hearted gale wind in defense, but Elphaba swept in aside with a wave of her hand, not even pausing in her step. She casually flicked a finger, and every soldier in the vicinity fell flat on the ground, unmoving, though not a single Animal was affected. Glinda found that she was able to move, and considered running after Elphaba. She decided, considering how Elphaba almost seemed to have gone mad, that she'd better let the stronger witch handle this.

All eyes followed Elphaba as she backed Morrible up against a wall.

"Stop!" Morrible pleaded, "Please! I'll do anything!"

Elphaba grinned, baring her teeth. "Good. Then bring back Fiyero, and Boq, and my sister, and everyone you've killed. And then I'll still kill you."

"I – uh…"

"Can't do it? I didn't think so. Well, Madame, then your time has come. And I can promise you that I shall make it as painful as I possibly can, to represent all the pain you've inflicted on others. You should have died years ago, but I'm glad I'm the one who gets to do it. It's your own doing – it's because of you I have these powers. Wasn't your special talent encouraging talent?"

Morrible's eyes widened at having her own words used against her. She raised her arms in self-defense, but it was no use. In one great motion, Elphaba called up all of the power she'd ever possessed and all the pain Morrible had caused her and others. She let the power obliterate any walls of self-control that were holding her back, and sent the whole thing in one great continuous wave from her fingertips at Madame Morrible.

The evil woman screamed as the power hit her, one long, ear-piercing shriek. She was consumed in a dark red glow, until only her silhouette could be seen. Elphaba laughed and laughed and laughed, a creepy, evil sound, even as the shriek was cut off and Morrible exploded into a million pieces. Then there was an eerily silent pause, and Elphaba swayed and collapsed on the ground.

"Elphaba!" Glinda shouted, running towards her. But a great golden sphere suddenly shimmered into view around Elphaba's motionless body, blocking Glinda's path. "Elphaba!"

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A/N: So...? Reviews make me happy.


	25. Limbo

A/N: As promised, the next chapter less than 24 hours later. This chapter may require some explanation, so I'll explain a bit at the end.

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**Chapter Twenty-Five: Limbo**

For Elphaba, there was only blackness. She opened her eyes and sat up, expecting herself to feel pain. But she was numb. She felt nothing, and she could see nothing in the sinister dark.

"Hello?" she called, "Is anyone there?"

Suddenly, as if activated by Elphaba's voice, a whirl of colors appeared, spinning round and round her, again and again, so fast she could see nothing in them. Then the voices started, echoing through the space as if called from the past…

_It's atrocious! It's obscene!_

_Here, Melena, darling, chew these flowers. We'll get a normal and beautiful second child._

_Elphaba, you made Nessarose cry! It's all your fault!_

_Why can't you just be like any normal ten-year-old?_

_Elphaba! Stop making such a spectacle of yourself!_

_Try not to talk so much!_

_Elphaba! You promised things would be different here!_

_Bright? She's phosphorescent!_

_Loathing! Unadulterated loathing!_

_Oh! It seems the artichoke is steamed!_

_Do you ever let anyone else talk?_

_I'm not that girl…_

_The world is your oyster now. You have so many…opportunities._

_This distortion! This repulsion! This…Wicked Witch!_

_I hear her soul is so unclean, pure water can melt her!_

_All of my life I've depended on you! How do you think that feels?_

_You're lying! That's all you ever do!_

_Go fetch some…some water._

_What exactly have you been doing, besides riding around Oz on that filthy old thing?_

_I can't believe you would sink this low! To use my sister's death as a trap to capture me?_

_Let the green girl go!_

_No good deed goes unpunished!_

_Wickedness must be punished!_

_I can do anything I want! I am the Wicked Witch of the West!_

_I'm limited…_

_You could have made good._

_This Wicked Witch has been doing nothing but bad…_

_No one mourns the wicked…_

_Wicked…_

_Wicked…_

A figure suddenly appeared in a glow of light as the voices slowly faded away, leaving a dumbstruck Elphaba behind. The figure came closer, the glow illuminating her face.

"Nessa!" Elphaba gasped.

Her younger sister smiled sweetly, reaching out a hand. Hesitantly, wondering if this could be real, Elphaba took it and stood up.

Nessa looked her sister up and down and laughed, not unkindly. "Still the same old Fabala. You haven't lost your love for black, I see."

Nessa herself was wearing a pretty pink dress, and on her feet were her infamous silver jeweled shoes. They glittered as brilliantly as ever.

"But the shoes! How did you get them?" Elphaba asked incredulously, "That farm girl took them with her when she left Oz!"

Nessarose laughed again, a sweet, musical sound. "That sort of thing doesn't matter where we are," she said.

"Where _are _we?" Elphaba asked, looking around, "Am I _dead_?" she froze as the thought struck her.

"Well, that's up to you."

"_What?_"

"Right now, we are limbo between Life and Death," Nessa explained, "You are neither dead nor alive. If someone in Life were to feel for your pulse right now, there would be none." Her tone turned accusatory, "That was a powerful spell you sent at Morrible, Elphaba. It nearly destroyed you."

"But I have a choice? I mean, I could still live?" Elphaba pressed.

"Yes. You may stay with us-"

"Us?"

Nessa actually rolled her eyes. "Oh, Elphaba. I'm _dead_. You may either stay here with us – meaning me, Boq, Father…everyone who's ever died – or you can have another chance, and go back to Life. I must remind you that it won't be easy. You have nearly killed yourself, and it will be a long road to recovery. But I have faith in you."

Elphaba sighed and turned away. "Fiyero's dead, Nessa. So is the Wizard, my _real _father. What is there to go back to?"

"Glinda," Nessa reminded her, laying a hand on her sister's shoulder, "And do not lose hope, my dear. We have all seen everything you have gone through to achieve Morrible's death, and we have every intention of rewarding you for it."

"Rewarding me?" Elphaba asked interestedly.

Nessa took her sister's hands. "Yes. Oh, Fabala, you have been through twenty times the normal amount of troubles someone should go through in a lifetime, and you're still very young! You deserve something in return. I can promise you, it's no small reward, either." Elphaba looked unsure. Nessa lifted her sister's chin. "Elphaba…it won't be easy if you go back, and I'm sure you understand that. But there are still people and Animals in Life who care about you very much. Your father, for instance."

Elphaba started. "But I thought he was shot!"

"Not all people who get shot die," Nessa said gently.

"Fiyero? Has he come through here?" Elphaba questioned.

Nessa smiled sadly. She leaned forward and hugged her sister. The hug made Elphaba feel strong, and she returned it. They embraced for a long time, but then Nessa stepped back.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba. I should have been kinder to you in Life. I should have listened to you more – then we could have avoided a lot of conflict. Father has been watching you – we all have – and he's so very proud of you. He wanted me to tell you, because none of the others are allowed to see you unless you choose Death. But I can see in your eyes that you're going back to Life. That's the right choice. What would the world be like without the Wicked Witch of the West?" she smiled fondly.

Elphaba smiled too. "I love you, Nessa."

"I love you, too. I always have… Are you ready to go back?"

Elphaba wiped her eyes carefully. "Yes."

"Goodbye for now, sister. And good luck." Nessarose stepped back as the glow receded and darkness surrounded the elder Thropp sister once more.

"Hello?" Elphaba asked, just as before.

Suddenly, she was struck with a feeling of weakness and fell to her knees, then collapsed, eyes closed. This time, she didn't see the whirling lights, but she still heard the voices, though their messages were different this time…

_You're not really all that bad, are you, dearest? You might be rather pretty, in time._

_Here, Fabala. I got you a present. Sh – Father doesn't know. Happy thirteenth birthday!_

_Never apologize for talent. Talent is a gift!_

_A celebration throughout Oz, that's all to do with me!_

_The Wizard and I!_

_Elphie, now that we're friends, I've decided to make you my new project!_

_Hearts leap in a giddy whirl…_

_I want to remember this moment. Always. Nobody's pointing, nobody's staring. For once, I'm somewhere…that I belong._

_Two best friends…_

_I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game…_

_Wonderful – they'll call you wonderful!_

_As long as you're mine!_

_It's just…for the first time…I feel…wicked!_

_Elphaba, we are going to be together always._

_Because I knew you, I have been changed for good…_

_Good…_

_Good…_

Elphaba felt as though she were falling, falling from the world altogether. Voices swam into each other all around her, all ending in Nessa's voice.

"Reward you…"

She suddenly stopped falling and woke with a thump. Opening her eyes, she saw only blurs, and realized her vision was swimming. She moved feebly and tried to get up, but sharp pain shot through her, and her body collapsed. The last thing Elphaba heard before her mind slipped into unconsciousness was Glinda's anxious voice.

"Elphie!"

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A/N: Okay, so I got the idea for this from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Elphaba was very close to death, and she was sent to Limbo, which in my mind is between Life and Death, used with capitals because they're supposed to be different states of being. On her way there, Elphaba lost her pain, because she was 'dead'. She also heard some of the many bad things people said to her or about her throughout her life, or things she said that made her life worse. On the way back, she sort of fainted, because the pain came back. And she heard many of the good things that were said to her, about her, or by her. These also included times when she just felt good or triumphant, even if bad came of it, such as the Defying Gravity line. Notice my repeated use of 'Wicked' the first time, and 'Good' on the way back.

I hope I haven't confused you all even more! If you've still got questions, feel free to put them in your review, and I'll respond!


	26. Shattered Hope, Shattered Life

A/N: First of all, I'd like to explain one thing that I don't think was very clear in the last two chapters: The battle did not take place in the city. It took place just outside the gates, so the fire couldn't spread to where they were. I completely forgot to add that in there, and I ignored the burning city during the battle!

I'm not very fond of this chapter, unlike the last few. Since the climax is over, things are winding down, and this kind of thing is the hardest for me to write. I tried not to make this cheesy, but I think I failed...oh, well, please read anyway! I don't know where this chapter title came from, either...it wrote itself.

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**Chapter Twenty-Six: Shattered Hope, Shattered Life**

Glinda paced feverishly back and forth, allowing her shoes to thunk heavily on the wooden floor to project her agitation. She was worried, very worried, and she was having trouble thinking straight. Two words kept racing each other through the blonde's head; with each beat of her heart, Glinda heard them again. _Elphaba. Fiyero. Elphaba. Fiyero._

It had been nearly five hours since the battle's climactic conclusion. Five hours since it had begun to rain, to pour so hard that Glinda, terrified for her green friend's safety, had slogged through the mud herself and picked up the still figure, shielding her bare skin as well as she could, and rushed her to the nearest house, right outside the city gates. Luckily, the house was vacant, probably owned by some airhead Munchkinlander who didn't realize that the spells around the city prevented any fire from being able to spread beyond its gates; therefore protecting his house all along. In fact, only about an hour after the downpour started, the fire had burned itself out, unable to go any farther then it had spread by then. The city was one great, smoking ruin.

Glinda had made the abandoned house her base. A still-unconscious Elphaba lay in the next room, where a Tiger physician had been periodically examining her. Fiyero's straw body, rescued by the Lion, lay on an empty table in the adjoining kitchen/living room. Since Glinda was in the living room, she made sure she averted her eyes every time she passed that way, so she would not see what was left of her old fiancée.

_Elphaba. Fiyero. Elphaba. Fiyero._

The Wizard was still alive, and he was in the house's second bedroom. However, his prognosis wasn't good. The bullet had caught him very close to the heart. He was also asleep…and might never wake up.

The surviving Ozians had either fled to the woods or taken refuge in buildings just outside their ruined home. The Animals had also taken shelter in nearby houses and barns. A good number of them were in the barn that was on the property of Elphaba's sickbed, wanting nothing more than to be close to the woman they considered their leader. Wanting to be the first to know her fate.

Glinda struggled to hold the tears in as she tirelessly stomped in a circle. If she let herself cry now, she thought she might never stop. And she knew the Ozians would depend on her now to help them rebuild. She would have to be their ruler, at least for a little longer. It was ironic; Glinda had never wanted to be the monarch in the first place. She had done it only out of an obligation to accomplish what Elphaba never could, because she'd thought her friend was dead. Now that Elphaba might die again, it was the same scenario all over.

The door swung open, and Glinda turned to see two very wet Lions (neither one _the _Lion) and an equally soaked Chistery. A draft blew in, blowing some stray pieces of straw around the room. It tugged at Fiyero's sleeve, drawing everyone's attention to the still figure. Suddenly Glinda felt nauseous.

"Close it! Close it!" she shrieked, and then she collapsed on the floor, sobbing.

The door shut with a bang, and Glinda felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up through her tears, she saw Chistery watching her carefully. He patted her on the back and offered a hand. Bemused and upset, Glinda took it and allowed the Monkey to lead her to the couch.

"There, there, Miss Glinda," he said in a surprisingly gentle voice.

Glinda wiped her eyes on her skirt and took a few deep breaths. "Thank you," she whispered. She looked up at the Lions, who were standing rather skittishly, looking uncertain as to what to do.

"I'm sorry," she said, clearing her throat. "What-what do you need?"

The larger Lion spoke in a deep, rumbling voice, "Lady Glinda, we have just come from the site of the battle, where we have given ourselves the task of moving the injured Animals indoors. We found this where the Wizard fell, and Chistery here thought you would recognize it." And the Lion produced a small, green bottle of elixir.

Glinda took one look at it and burst into fresh tears. Both Lions shied away nervously.

"Give me," Chistery held out a hand expectantly. The Lion gratefully handed over the bottle and he and his partner backed out the door, muttering something about getting back to their work. Chistery set the bottle down on a small table and patted Glinda consolingly.

There was a squeak as the door to the Wizard's bedroom opened, and the Tiger doctor exited. Glinda looked up hopefully.

"He's awake," the Tiger began, "But he won't make it through the night."

Glinda nodded sadly. "May I see him?"

"I suppose so," the doctor said. Glinda gingerly grasped the elixir bottle and followed the doctor into the bedroom.

The Wizard looked up as his visitors entered. He smiled faintly.

"Hello, my dear."

"How are you?" Glinda asked softly, taking a seat beside the bed.

He grimaced. "I've been better. But I don't feel much pain, thanks to the miracles of the doctor. If you're going to die, you might as well do it with a little style." He gave a grim chuckle. "Tell me – what happened to everyone? What happened to Helga? Where is Fiyero? Where is my daughter?"

Tears filled Glinda's eyes as she recounted the story of the battle's conclusion. By the end, the Wizard was crying silently as well.

"I always loved her," he said quietly, seeming to forget about Glinda for a moment, "Yet I also always knew our aims were wrong. And I knew that in the end, I couldn't follow her."

Glinda didn't say anything. She felt as if she ought to comfort him somehow, but she couldn't honestly say she was sorry. Not when Morrible had tried to kill them all so many times, not when she had felt no remorse for Boq's death, not when she had killed Fiyero…especially not when her demise might have led to Elphaba's own.

"And…Elphaba," the Wizard said, tears pouring down his face, "My daughter. So strong-willed…such a beautiful young woman…so stubborn." He chuckled, "I am proud to be her father, even if it didn't last very long. I just wish I could say goodbye."

"Here," Glinda said softly, pressing the elixir into his hands, "I think this belongs to you."

He looked down at it. "Yes. This started it all, I suppose you could say." He clutched it in his gnarled hands, "I am bound to it, as is Elphaba, however much each of us wants to forget it. It is a part of our past."

Glinda opened her mouth to respond, but the Wizard let out an exclamation.

"Elphaba!"

Turning quickly, the blonde saw, with a jolt of surprise, the Tiger doctor and _the _Lion in the doorway. The Lion was carefully holding Elphaba, and the Tiger appeared to be protesting something.

"You really shouldn't be moving her, sir. She is very, very ill! She shouldn't be here! It might push her over the edge."

Glinda jumped up. "What is this?" She hurried over to the door.

The Tiger opened his mouth to reply, but the Lion cut in with his deep voice.

"She's awake."

Glinda gasped and looked down. Sure enough, Elphaba's green-brown eyes were open and gazing up at her best friend. Elphaba's mouth twitched slightly, and Glinda felt tears of relief well up and clog her throat. At the same time, elation filled her, and she took Elphaba's hand gently.

"You're alive!" she gasped.

Elphaba nodded very slowly.

"Is she all right? Can she not speak?" Glinda asked the Lion.

"She already said one word to me," the Lion said, "but I could barely make it out. She asked, 'Wizard?' I took that to mean she wanted to know how he was. How she knew he was still alive I don't know. The doctor didn't want me to tell her, but I thought she deserved to know, and then she sort of pointed at the door, and I knew she wanted to see. I…um…I was too afraid to argue." He blushed.

"Oh, Elphaba…" Glinda sighed. Her initial excitement at her friend's consciousness evaporated. Just because Elphaba was awake now didn't mean she was safe from death.

"Elphaba?" the Wizard asked from the bed. The small knot of people moved aside to allow the man to see his daughter. "Can I see her closer?" he asked, tears in his eyes. His breath was coming in gasps now, and it was only because his time was short that the doctor consented to allow the Lion to take Elphaba over to the bedside. The big cat crouched down so the father and daughter were at eye level.

Elphaba carefully stretched out a green hand and placed it over her father's. A single tear trickled down her cheek, but she showed no sign that it caused her pain.

"Elphaba, dear…I wish I could have been a better father to you," the Wizard whispered, "If I had known you were my daughter I would never have alienated you like that. I'm so, so sorry….I want you to know that I love you."

Elphaba smiled. Her mouth tried to form words. They came out in little more than a hiss, so that those crowded around the bed could only just make them out.

"I…forgive…you…Father."

The Wizard's eyes widened in pleasurable surprise, but then he smiled and closed them. His head lolled over, and his hand loosened on Elphaba's. He was dead.

The green bottle slipped out of his hands, and Elphaba moved just quickly enough to catch it before it fell off the bed. She gripped it like a lifeline, gazing at her dead father. Then she burst into tears and slipped into unconsciousness once more.

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A/N: This chapter was difficult to write, because I didn't want to make it too cheesy, but it was important to me to have Elphaba call the Wizard her father before he died. I also thought it would add feeling if Elphaba watched him die. Hopefully, the next chapter will be easier to write. Review?


	27. Reconstruction

A/N: I am so, so sorry for the long delay! I know it's been over a month since I updated, and I promise I really meant to have a chapter up at least a week ago...but it didn't happen. But I hope this longish chapter makes up for it! Sorry that a lot of it at the beginning isn't dialogue. I originally had Glinda narrating that part, but it didn't really work with the form of the rest of the story, so...A couple things you should know about this chapter:

1) There's a song, written by me, tune by me, so just read the lyrics and envision it in your head.

2) There is some darker content in this chapter. Nothing really graphic or too terrible...just some mild attempted suicide. Just a warning.

3) It's a cliffie!

Happy Halloween!

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Reconstruction**

The week after the battle seemed to go on forever for Glinda. As the only surviving ruler of Oz, she was naturally responsible for getting the center of the country back under control after the Great Burning, as many were coming to call it. This was easier said than done.

The first thing the Good Witch had to do was find shelter for the thousands of homeless people in the area. There were plenty of farms scattered around on all four sides of the remains of the Emerald City, enough to pack a good number of Ozians into the houses and barns. Overcrowding was still a major problem, however, and many people were sleeping in tents in the fields rather than subject themselves to the stifling conditions indoors.

The main issue of the situation had become discrimination. Glinda was astounded and upset at the number of people who refused to share even the same house with people from a different corner of Oz. The Munchkins refused to share with the "barbaric" Winkies, the Gillikins wouldn't dream of living with "those toady" Quadlings, and so on and so forth. Even though they had formerly shared a city, it was apparent the citizens had never truly learned to live together in one united community. The end result, then, was that Glinda did her very best to separate farms according to race. To make it easier, she put Gillikins to the north, Munchkins to the east, Quadlings to the south, and Winkies to the west. The Animals she clustered in locations near to herself and Elphaba.

That was another thing. No matter how hard Glinda tried, she couldn't get the other Ozians to understand Animals. They had become so used to discriminating against them, arresting them, and generally treating them badly, that they couldn't get used to the idea of Animal equality. There was much unease on both ends, and Glinda was afraid if she didn't do something soon, there might be a revolt.

Furthermore, no one, of course, could know that Elphaba was being sheltered in Glinda's house. The several Ozians who swore they saw her during the burning had had a private talk with Glinda, who treated them with such kindness and persuasive sweetness that they had been convinced they had seen merely an illusion through the heat haze. So far, so good. No one seemed to have strong suspicions that the Wicked Witch was alive. The Animals who knew Elphaba was alive, the ones in the battle, were sworn to absolute secrecy. Luckily, they were all adults and fairly intelligent creatures who knew how to keep something hidden.

However, there was the whole matter about what really happened to Boq and Madame Morrible, and too many people had seen the Wizard in his balloon to be convinced that he had not returned. Glinda handled the whole issue with as much grace and sincerity as possible. It wasn't too hard.

The fabricated stories were as such:

Boq had sadly not survived the fire. He had been in Lady Glinda's company at the time the blaze was by accident ignited in the eastern wing. He had risked his life for Glinda, and not escaped himself. This particular story was Glinda's own idea, and she liked it because it portrayed Boq as a good man, which he had been.

Madame Morrible was a corrupt old lady who, in accordance with the rumors, had been in love with the Wizard and let the power she gained by this go to her head. Her goal was to accomplish a complete takeover of Oz; therefore, her death was necessary for the safety of the country. Glinda implied, but did not directly state, that the fire that destroyed the Emerald City might have been the fault of Morrible herself.

The Wizard had indeed returned to the city, but he had gotten caught up in the mess with Morrible, who wanted him to join her. He refused, and she, mad with rage, killed him.

These stories were repeated several times to the Ozians, and by the end of the week they were carved into each and every brain. Boq's story was the most widely accepted, and he was deeply mourned by all. The Wizard's story was also popular. He had been very well liked, after all, and it was easy to imagine he might have become victim to a corrupt advisor.

Morrible's story was the hardest to get across. Glinda heard such a chorus of "but…but…but" that she thought she was going to go crazy. No one seemed to be able to believe the worst of their Press Secretary. Oddly enough, they did not blame Glinda for her "necessary death", nor did their uncertainty make them doubt the Wizard's cause of death in any way. They simply could not accept the prospect of a wicked Morrible. In the end, Glinda gave it up, deciding the misconception wasn't hurting anyone anyways.

Besides the trouble outside the house, there was also the trouble inside it. For the past week, Elphaba had been sinking further and further into a state of sullen, and often snappy, depression. She was healing quicker than anyone could have predicted; though she still could not stand, she had regained her voice – and her attitude. Glinda understood why Elphaba should be so upset. She had lost both her father and her lover the same day, and although these deaths undoubtedly made Glinda sad as well, she couldn't relate to Elphaba's pain to its full extent.

Sometimes Glinda would walk past Elphaba's room and hear her friend muttering to herself inside. These mutterings would always make Glinda's heart jump to her throat at first; she was afraid Elphaba was trying sorcery, a difficult task that could finish her off for good. But no – they were only mutterings, sometimes mumbled in sleep. The contents of these monologues Glinda could almost never hear, but she heard one repeating phrase over and over:

"You promised me a reward, Nessa! Well, where's my reward? Quick death by suicide?"

This was always followed by a hysterical cackle that chilled Glinda to the bone. She didn't know what to do to help her friend. Every time she tried to talk to Elphaba, the witch would only stare at her blankly, or worse, continue laughing and laughing.

It wasn't until the end of that first week, on Saturday afternoon, that Glinda got her big scare. She had a brief break between meeting with the Munchkin representatives and the Winkies, and she decided to check up on the patient. When she knocked on Elphaba's door and entered, she nearly fainted on the spot.

Elphaba was sitting up in bed, a knife clutched tightly in her hand, her other bare green wrist exposed, palm up. Blood was dripping down onto the sheets from a deep gash in her arm. She looked up guiltily as Glinda stood there, swaying slightly, her head whirling.

_Elphaba was trying to end her own life._

Suddenly, Glinda felt furious. Anger of a kind she'd never felt before filled her. She marched over to Elphaba, tugged the knife out of her friend's grasp, and threw it angrily across the room, where it clattered loudly to the floor. Still glaring, she quickly tore a strip of cloth from the bed sheet, pulled Elphaba's bleeding wrist roughly towards her, and began bandaging it.

"Ouch!" Elphaba yelped, "That _hurts_!"

"Well, you should have thought about that _before _you tried to kill yourself, idiot!" Glinda shouted back, hardly caring who heard. She backed up from the bed, hands on hips. "What were you _thinking?_"

"I was thinking that maybe if I was off this earth for real, I could stop hurting people and leading them to their deaths!"

"Oh, so you decided it would be better if you hurt and killed _yourself_, is that it?" Glinda retaliated.

Elphaba ignored this. "Everyone I've tried to help or tried to love or tried to be with has been killed because of me! Father, Nessa, Fiyero, Boq, my _real _father…Glinda, you'll be next! I cause destruction wherever I go!"

"That's no excuse for what you just tried to do! I can't believe you could be this stupid! Don't ever, _ever_, do this again!"

"Get out!" Elphaba yelled, "Just go! Leave me alone!"

"And let you get back to your self-inflicted torture? I don't think so! I'm staying right here until you calm down!"

Elphaba lunged forward across the bed, but Glinda stabbed her wand in front of her and Elphaba was suddenly flung back onto the pillows.

"Lie down," Glinda ordered through clenched teeth.

Elphaba glared at the blonde witch for a moment, but then she suddenly burst into tears and buried her face in the torn sheet. Glinda stood still, shocked at the sudden change in her friend's temper. Then she went to the bedside and sat down beside the crying witch, letting her wand slip to the floor.

"Shh…shh…I'm sorry, Elphaba," Glinda pat her friend on the back. "I shouldn't have yelled like that. You…you just scared me, that's all. I don't want to lose you."

Elphaba continued sobbing, heaving deep breaths and letting out all of the sorrow she had accumulated in the past week. Finally, her weeping was diminished to whimpers, and she wiped her face carefully and blew her nose on a blanket.

"I just – I miss them – so much!" she howled haltingly through hiccups.

"I know. Oh Elphaba…" Glinda said gently, pulling the taller woman close in a hug.

"Nessa promised me…" Elphaba murmured. Glinda didn't know what her friend meant by that, but before she could ask, Elphaba pulled out of the embrace and continued:

How do I go on?

What do I have now?

It seems as if all I've tried to love

Has left me somehow

I'm not sure I've got the strength

To live my life this way

And even though I'm still alive

Will my skies every turn to day?

I feel all alone

Like I've got nothing to live for anymore

Everything I've done

Has led to this song

How do I go on?

Glinda leaned forward tenderly, a hand on her friend's shoulder, and responded:

There's more here than you think

Look around you at everything

You helped to save this place

This place we must call home

I'm still here, and you're still here

I think that you should know

Don't give up yet

You're alive for a reason

The wicked are gone, the good prevailed

Elphaba: Yes, but look at what that entailed!

My heart feels like it's been torn in two

My mind is all a blur

My courage has forsaken me

I can't defy this gravity

This weight that's pulling down on me

Oh, how do I go on?

Glinda: I want you to understand

That I'll always be here

By your side

You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me

Elphaba: I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to you

Glinda: Without you I'd be nothing

Elphaba: Without me you'd be everything

Glinda: You're the only friend I've every truly had!

Glinda and Elphaba: Please understand!

Elphaba: What have I got to live for?

I've tried making good but on the way I only made a mess!

I've lost Nessa, Father, and Fiyero

Glinda: There are still plenty of places for you to go!

Elphaba: Oh, how do I go on?

How do I go on?

How do I go on?

Elphaba heaved a shaky sigh and leaned back against the pillows.

Glinda took her friend's hand. "I know I've said it before, but I truly am sorry it has to be this way. If I could do anything about it…I would. You know that, right?"

Elphaba managed a watery smile. "I know. I'm just glad I still have you, Glinda. But you've been taking so many risks for me...please; promise me you'll be careful. If you died because of me…I couldn't bear it! Promise!"

"I promise," Glinda said, _and I do understand, _she thought silently.

Before either witch could speak again, they were interrupted by the squeak of the door behind them. They both turned to face the intruder and froze, expressions of total shock on their faces. Elphaba gasped and Glinda shrieked.

"Oh. My. Oz." Elphaba breathed.

Glinda fainted, falling onto the mattress with a soft thump.

Fiyero Tiggular the Scarecrow smiled, reaching out his arms to his lover. "Um…hi?"

And for the first time in her life, Elphaba fainted, too.

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A/N: -Ducks as angry readers throw buckets of water and rotten eggs- I know, I'm sorry!!! I was contemplating a satisfying ending, but then I would have had to make up an introduction for the beginning of the next chappie, yadda, yadda, yadda...so this was easier! Reviews make me write faster!

-Three chapters left, to bring our grand total to 30!


	28. Until the End of Time

A/N: Fast updates!!!! This story is really winding down. Only two chapters after this one, and then it's goodbye to this fic...for good.

There's another song, tune and lyrics compliments of yours truly, so read it and use your imagination for the tune and such.

Hope everyone has a fun Veteran's Day weekend!

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**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Until the End of Time**

Elphaba was awakened slowly by an unpleasant prickling on her left elbow. Without opening her eyes, she reached up to rub her arm, and felt straw. She jolted awake and sat up abruptly.

A scarecrow stood sheepishly before the bed, his arms extended in midair as if in supplication. It looked like…but no, it couldn't be! Fiyero was dead. He was dead and he wasn't coming back. Feeling her suspicions rising, Elphaba scooted away from the straw figure.

"Who are you?" she asked sharply, "What are you doing here?"

The Scarecrow seemed surprised. He lowered his arms slowly. "Elphaba – it's me. It's Fiyer-" He was cut off abruptly as a pillow thrown by the green witch hit him in the stomach and knocked him sprawling onto the floor.

"Don't lie to me!" Elphaba screeched, her voice rising hysterically, "You thought I'd let you close enough to hurt me, didn't you? Well, just stay away! Far away!"

"I was just trying to wake you up!" the Scarecrow protested. He took a step forward – another pillow caught him on the head and nearly sent it spinning off. "Elphaba!"

There was a groan as Glinda slowly sat up, shaking her head rapidly. Her eyes fell on Elphaba first. "Oh, Elphie, I just had the oddest dream! You'll never guess what happened! We were-" But just then she turned to pick up her wand and saw the Scarecrow, too. "Oh! I guess it wasn't a dream after all!" she gasped softly, seeming at a loss for words.

"It's an evil spell, Glinda! It has to be!" Elphaba told her friend in a hoarse whisper. "There's no other explanation! Some evil sorcerer has enchanted Fiyero's body so that it moves and even speaks in Fiyero's voice!"

Glinda looked doubtful. "Elphaba...maybe it really _is _Fiyero."

The Scarecrow sighed. "You know, I can hear everything you two are saying, and I can tell you right now that I _am _real, and I _am_ Fiyero."

"How can we believe you?" Elphaba asked, "You would say you're Fiyero even if you _were_ the product of an evil spell!"

"I'll tell you something only Fiyero would know," the Scarecrow suggested.

Glinda's eyes lit up. "That sounds like a good idea. Elphie?"

The Scarecrow glanced at Elphaba for permission.

She shrugged. "Fine, but I'm not promising I'll believe you anyway."

"Fair enough," the Scarecrow thought for a moment, and then smiled and pointed at Elphaba. "When you were little, you always wanted to be a prima-ballerina. You used to practice your pirouette in front of the mirror for hours, and once Nessarose saw and said you looked like a giant green monkey, and then you-"

"Stop!" Elphaba interrupted, blushing (Glinda was laughing), "Well, I never told anyone but Fiyero that, but maybe Nessarose told someone, and it got out. That doesn't prove anything."

"When you were seven, you "married" an Eagle, and then he flew away and mated with one of his own kind and you cried for three days straight."

Elphaba blushed an even deeper crimson. "All right, enough!" she exclaimed, "I _know _I didn't tell that to anyone else! But…still…so much has happened…how do I _really_ know that I can trust you?" The last bit was meant only for herself, but the Scarecrow heard it.

"This is how," he told her, and he came forward in one movement and kissed Elphaba gently but briefly on the lips. Then he drew back, looking at her apprehensively. She sat there for a moment, then turned her head upwards to look into the sapphire eyes in the stuffed head. Suddenly, her hand shot up and she slapped the straw man across the face before flinging herself into his arms, kissing him passionately.

Glinda forced back a laugh at how unnatural the scene was – a live Scarecrow kissing a green witch. Instead, she smiled and slipped off the bed, beginning to edge toward the door to give the couple some privacy – for it was absolutely clear to her now that the straw man was Fiyero indeed and they had nothing to fear from him.

Elphaba pulled back from the embrace, however, and called, "No, you can stay, Glinda!"

So the blonde witch came forward and hugged Fiyero tightly. "I knew it was you from the beginning," she murmured.

The scarecrow sat on the bed beside the girls. Elphaba could not seem to let go of her lover's hand, and she was obliged to wipe several tears carefully off her face.

When they had settled down, Fiyero solemnly asked, "What happened after I died?"

"Then you really did die?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes," Fiyero replied, "And I promise I'll tell you everything, but first I want to know what's going on right now. What happened to Morrible? Is everyone else all right?"

So Elphaba explained everything, with Glinda filling in her version in some places. When they came to the part where Elphaba cut herself, both witches fell silent, exchanging uncomfortable looks.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked, noticing their unsure glances.

"Um…then we were just in here, talking, and you walked in and scared us," Glinda said awkwardly.

The straw man looked confused. He looked down at his and Elphaba's intertwined fingers. And then he saw it.

"Elphaba," he asked in a deadly quiet tone, "Why do you have a bandage on your wrist?"

"It's nothing!" Elphaba said quickly, pulling her sleeve down to hide the wound.

Fiyero seized her arm and pushed up the fabric, staring in apparent disbelief at the bloody cut visible under the sheet. Then he shoved the green limb away and stared at the floor in a cold silence.

"Fiyero…I'm sorry!" Elphaba pleaded. "I thought…I thought you were dead! The Wizard had died, you had died, Boq had died – I didn't think I had anything left!" When Fiyero didn't respond, tears started to roll down her cheeks, tears she quickly muffled in a pillow.

Glinda frowned, unsure exactly what to do. On the one hand, her own reaction to the injury had been to yell at her friend, and she couldn't blame Fiyero for acting the way he did. On the other hand, Elphaba just got her lover "back from the dead", and now he wasn't speaking to her. She patted Elphaba on the back.

"Say something!" she hissed at the Scarecrow.

He sighed and moved closer. "Elphaba…Elphaba, shh...it's okay. I'm sorry. I just – I can't believe you would do that to yourself." Elphaba calmed down a little and allowed Fiyero to hold her. He rubbed her back, then said, "I never told you about my sister, did I?"

"You – you had a sister?" Elphaba asked, wiping her nose with her sleeve.

"Yes." The former Winkie prince said sadly. "Her name was Jellia. She was one of the most wonderful people I ever met. She was six whole years older than me, and I absolutely idolized her. When I was thirteen, Jellia became engaged to a Winkie tribelander our family had known very well for years. She loved him very much, but he died one day while on the hunt from a fast-acting disease. After that, Jellia stopped going out. She became very depressed…and one day she killed herself." Both Elphaba and Glinda gasped.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba sniffled.

Fiyero kissed his lover on the cheek and said sadly, "I miss her so much…and I just don't want the same thing to happen to you. I love you." Fiyero explained.

"I love you, too," Elphaba told him before hugging him tightly. There was a long pause.

Then Fiyero shifted. "I guess you want to know what happened to me now. When I was set afire, I was very scared, of course, but being made of cloth and straw I couldn't feel anything. I dimly felt someone pulling me off the pole and stamping on me before I slipped into total unconsciousness-"

"That was me," Elphaba interrupted, "I got the fire out and managed to save your body."

"Well, I guess the fire must have broken the connection between my soul and my body, because I definitely died. I was in this black room, and then my whole life literally flashed before my eyes-"

"It was the same for me!" Elphaba gasped. Then she clapped a hand over her mouth. "Sorry. Go on."

"-and then it all cleared and my sister was there. And she told me that I had died, and it was time for me to move on. I was scared and happy and sad and excited all at the same time. And we walked through some sort of portal thing into this room that was just _there _– it wasn't remarkable in any way – and there were a ton of people and Animals and even animals there. I didn't see anyone I knew at first, but then Nessarose appeared beside me and told me I was going to go back to the land of the living – that I'd been given another chance. And before I knew it, I was waking up in the bedroom next door, and I heard talking in here and found you two. And you know the rest."

Elphaba gasped. "Nessa's reward for me! It was you, Fiyero! You died, but you got to come back for me!" When both Glinda and Fiyero looked confused, she explained Nessarose's promise that she would be rewarded for her good deeds. "But you said you came back almost immediately?" she asked in the end.

"Yes, as if no time had passed at all," he affirmed.

"Well, it's been a week," Elphaba said. "I suppose time there runs differently than it does here. It seems cruel for Nessa to make me wait so long that – well…" she glanced at her cut wrist, "…that I almost lost myself. But maybe there _is _a reason."

"There's a reason for everything," Glinda chimed in.

"Don't quote philosophy to me, Miss Glinda the Good!" Elphaba chided, but playfully, "I'm so happy that I feel like I might explode!" And she embraced Fiyero again, looking as if she would never let go.

Glinda smiled and softly slipped out of the room. She did, after all, still have that meeting to get to. The other two didn't even notice her leaving.

Finally, Elphaba pulled back and wiped her eyes again.

"Does it hurt?" Fiyero asked gently.

"The wrist? Yes. But I'm used to pain," Elphaba said bitterly, "These tears, for instance. They're nothing, _nothing_ like having water shot at you from a cannon. So I barely notice them at all."

"Don't say things like that," Fiyero protested, his eyes stormy, "Don't let pain become routine, Elphaba. It shouldn't be like that."

Elphaba was silent for a minute. Then she took a deep, settling breath. "I just can't believe you're here, after everything that's happened. I – I thought I lost you, for real this time."

Fiyero smiled, catching her hands. "Well, believe it. I'm here. And I am never, _never _leaving you again. No matter what."

His green lover smiled in return.

Elphaba: I thought I'd lost you

And yet – here you are

I thought you were gone forever

To some distant star

But here you sit before me

Whole and good as new

How can this be?

That my one great wish came true?

Until the end of time

I'll be waiting here for you

Opening my arms wide

Just to welcome you

And now that we're together again

It's finally crystal-clear

I won't have anything to fear

As long as you're near

Fiyero: Don't move away

Let me take your hand

I can almost feel your flesh

I imagine that I can

Nothing else matters

Just for this moment in time

Let's just stay close

We're here together

Let me call you mine

Both: Until the end of time

I'll be waiting here for you

Opening my arms wide

Just to welcome you

And now that we're together again

It's finally crystal-clear

I won't have anything to fear

As long as you're near

Elphaba: The stars are shining bright tonight

They sing a melody

Telling stories of the time

You were sent to me

My heart is like a candle

And your love is like the flame

This fire burns forevermore

This love without a name

Fiyero: I didn't know how lost I was

Until you came my way

You looked into my heart

And chased my fears away

I've been changed from what I was

And I don't really care

Because you saw the truth in me

And pulled it out of there

Both: Until the end of time

I'll be waiting here for you

I'm in love and it feels like

All my dreams have come true

Nothing can stop us now

Let them try and they'll see

We're just stepping off on this journey

And even though it's been hard

We've stuck together through and through

Until the end of time

Together – me and you

Elphaba: We work together, me and you

Fiyero: Never knew love, but now I'm with you

Both: Until the end of time

Me and you…

Elphaba smiled and, nestling against Fiyero, soon fell into a comfortable sleep.

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A/N: Review!


	29. Goodbye, For Good

A/N: I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. Now that December's started, I'm really looking forward to some snow!

The epilogue is all that's left after this chapter. I can hardly believe it! The only songs in this chapter are little bits of songs from Wicked, so though I changed some lyrics, you know the tune.

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Goodbye, For Good**

A few days later, Fiyero and Elphaba were sitting quietly in their room in the farmhouse. Elphaba was reading, and Fiyero was absentmindedly tracing patterns in the dust on the floor. The two lovers had hardly said a word to each other all day; they had been too immersed in their own thoughts.

Elphaba turned a page, reached the end of her chapter, and put the book down with a sigh, glancing over at the Scarecrow.

"Fiyero…"

Fiyero looked up. "What?"

"We have to go."

"Go where?" he tried innocently.

"You _know _where!" Elphaba said impatiently, "We have to leave this place sooner or later…we don't belong here."

Fiyero got up with a sigh and sat next to the green witch on the bed. "I know," he said quietly, almost sadly.

"It's – it's not as if we'll never see Glinda again," Elphaba continued hopefully, "She can come visit…"

But Fiyero shook his head. "No, she can't. We need to go farther than Kiamo Ko this time. We have to leave Oz behind for real – forever. If we stay close, we'll just be tempted to run back and help again whenever something goes wrong. It's too risky. Oz will just have to get along without us."

Elphaba looked down at her hands, knowing what Fiyero said was true, no matter how much she didn't want to believe it.

"If only-"

But she was interrupted by a knock on the door, and Glinda's cheery voice chirping, "It's me! Glinda! I have wonderful news!"

"Come in," Fiyero called, and the door swung open.

Glinda swept in, looking radiant. "We've finally done it! It's the first time every single person in the committee has agreed on anything since negotiations began!"

"That's wonderful!" Elphaba tried to be enthusiastic, "What's going to happen to the city?"

Glinda sat down between her friends and produced a scroll of paper, which she unrolled to show the blueprint of a large, magnificent building, not unlike the old Palace.

"This will be the new Palace," Glinda explained, "It is a lot like the old one, but there are several minor differences to make the building more practical. The Palace is going to be covered in green emeralds, just like the old one was. That way, we don't have to change the name. At the four sides of the Palace, in the Main Square, there will be four painted embassies representing each of the corners of Oz. Senators will work in these buildings and come to the Palace for periodical session meetings so that every group will have a say in the running of the country. We're making Oz into a democracy!" Glinda explained brightly.

"What about the rest of the city?" Fiyero asked.

"It will be arranged basically like the old one, but not as much will center on green. We've all decided it's time for some more logical architecture. And, no offense, Elphaba, but some of the people mentioned your name as reasoning for new colors. They don't want to bring up bad memories. Speaking of which, we'll have to work out some way for the two of you to live with me in the Palace. I want both of you to be honorary advisors. Maybe there's a spell somewhere for disguises…"

Behind Glinda's back, Elphaba and Fiyero exchanged glances.

"Glinda…" Elphaba said hesitantly, "…Fiyero and I can't live in the Palace with you."

"Why not?" Glinda asked, "I'm sure we could do someth-"

"No," Elphaba interrupted, "We can't. It's too risky."

Glinda looked disappointed, but she nodded reluctantly. "All right, then you can go live in Kiamo Ko, if you think that's best, and I'll visit you as often as I can."

This time, Fiyero spoke up. "Glinda…we can't."

"Why not?"

He sighed unhappily. "Because…well, because Elphaba and I have agreed that we need to leave the country…for good."

"What?" Glinda whispered, stiffening.

Elphaba cut in. "We're putting you and ourselves in danger by staying in Oz, Glinda. Sooner or later, someone will make a connection between everything that has happened. And they'll figure it all out. If that happened, your life would be at stake, as would both of ours. It's better if we just…go."

Glinda's eyes were sparkling with tears. "No…no!" she protested, "You can't just _go_! I need you, Elphie! I was lost when I thought you were dead!"

"But now you know we're alive," Elphaba pointed out, "You can live with the knowledge that we are out there, safe, because no one will know who we are in other places. Don't you see, Glinda? I wish more than anything that things could have been different…but I guess I was never meant to be accepted in Oz at all."

"We can start over," Fiyero explained, "Start over, fresh and new, and Elphaba and I-"

"-can finally start your life together." Glinda finished as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Elphaba looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, Glinda. That must seem like a cruel reason to you, when you and Fiyero were once…" she trailed off, the other two knowing what she'd been about to say.

"No, no…it's fine," Glinda said softly, "I'm…I'm all right with it now. I know Fiyero and I were never right for each other in the first place. But I really, truly want you both to be happy. If this is what you want…" she took a deep breath, "…then you should go."

Elphaba leaned forward and wiped a tear gently off her friend's face, fighting furiously against her own threatening tear ducts.

"We want you to be happy, too, Glinda." she reminded the good witch. Then she brightened. "I have an idea. Are there any glass bowls in the house?"

Glinda stood, looking confused. "Probably – why?"

"I need them," Elphaba replied, but she wouldn't say any more, so Glinda went into the kitchen and returned soon with two fairly large glass bowls, one perfectly clear and the other tinted blue.

Elphaba smiled. "Perfect." She placed the bowls upside-down on the bed, and Fiyero and Glinda both moved closer. Glinda still looked puzzled, but Fiyero had a look of comprehension on his face.

"Ele bebe se ra crese so ta we im bella creno…Let me see what I desire, set this flat surface on fire, and the things I want to hear, come as if they were right here." Elphaba chanted, waving her hands mystically over the transparent bowl. Then she repeated the spell with the blue bowl.

"What did you do?" Fiyero asked interestedly.

"I did the same spell I used on my crystal ball at Kiamo Ko," Elphaba said, handing the clear bowl to Glinda. "Look into this, and say whatever you'd like to see, anywhere at all. Make sure to concentrate!"

Glinda held the object in her hands, half doubting, half fascinated. "Um…I want to see…I want to see the Munchkin delegation," she said clearly.

Instantly, an image formed on the smooth surface, solidifying to show a group of five Munchkins sitting in a circle of chairs.

"…not really going to work, is it?" one of them, a particularly small man with a young face was saying doubtfully.

"I really believe it will," a man with a long white beard countered, "Lady Glinda, though not truly qualified to be our ruler, is the one who has held Oz together through all the recent events. If anyone here can get the country back on track, it's her."

Glinda glowed with pleasure at the praise, listening closely to hear more. A touch on her shoulder brought her attention away from the bowl, however, and the scene faded away. Elphaba smiled gently but sadly at her friend.

"It's getting dark," she said, "Fiyero and I have to leave in the dead of night, so no one will see us."

"You're leaving tonight?" Glinda asked, her eyes wide, "But…that's so soon!"

Elphaba nodded her eyes downcast. "I know. But the longer we stay, the harder it will be to leave."

"Will we be able to talk to each other? I mean, through these?" Glinda asked, holding up her 'crystal ball'.

Elphaba shook her head. "Not exactly. There is a spell for that kind of thing, but it was very complicated and I don't remember it. And with the Grimmerie nowhere to be found…"

The Grimmerie had vanished after the battle. Glinda had gone to look for it countless times, but it had never been recovered. Elphaba thought that was probably for the better, all things considering, and Glinda had to agree with her.

"…But we can still see and hear each other, in a way," Elphaba continued, "We'll be able to check up on how each other is doing with the use of the spell I cast. It isn't perfect…but it's all we can do."

Glinda nodded, feeling tears begin to rise up behind her eyelids again. She tried to speak, but found she was at a loss for words.

Fiyero, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly stirred. "What about the Flying Monkeys?" he asked, "What will happen to them?"

"I'll take care of them," Glinda said at once, "They can be my Royal Messengers, or something. I'll say that they only worked for the Witch because they were afraid of her and what she did to them."

"That would be best," Elphaba said, nodding in agreement, "They'll be safe with you. We certainly can't take them with us, or someone would get suspicious." She glanced out the window; the sky was dark, and the moon was coming out. "Glinda," she asked suddenly, "Where did you bury my father?"

Glinda looked surprised. "In the garden outside. I'm sorry it wasn't a more formal burial. If you'd like, we can bury him in the City once it's rebuilt."

"No," Elphaba said, "I don't think he'd want to be laid to rest in the City that ultimately led to so much destruction. I think he'd prefer to be buried right where he is, on a farm, the kind of place he came from. I asked because I want to visit his grave before we go."

"I think it's dark enough," Glinda suggested, "If you want to go see him now, no one would notice. Most people are inside eating dinner."

"Yes, I think now would be a good time." Elphaba stood up, a little shakily. She was still on the mend, though getting better every day.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Fiyero asked, standing also.

"No, I'll go by myself," Elphaba decided, "I'll be fine." And she went out of the room, through the empty living room, and opened the front door.

Fresh air surged up to greet her. Since she hadn't been outside for two weeks, the warm night air felt especially good against her skin as she crept around the side of the house to the garden. The flowers were all in bloom, and even in the dark Elphaba could see their beauty. Nestled amongst the colorful array was a large, smooth stone, the only one in the garden. Elphaba knew at once that it served as the headstone to mark her father's grave. She crouched before it.

"Father – I didn't get to know you when you were alive. I wish I'd had that chance. I wish we'd both known, before it was too late. I will miss you; I thought you were so great when I was little, and you represent Oz to me even now. But I'm leaving Oz behind, so I guess that means I'm letting go of you as well. I wish…well, I wish so many things. But wishing…wishing only wounds the heart." Elphaba's heart panged. She managed to hold back the tears, though, as she continued, "So I'm just glad I knew the truth for a little while before you left. Thank you for coming back – I think you saved my life. Goodbye."

And she stood up, gazing down at the grave of her father before singing softly:

Once I'm with the Wizard

My whole life will change

'Cuz once you meet your father

You realize why you're strange

Now it will never be the Wizard and I…

She turned away and went back inside.

Glinda and Fiyero were still sitting silently in the bedroom. They both looked up, relieved, when Elphaba reentered the room.

"It's time," she said softly.

Without commenting, the other two stood and followed her into the main room, Fiyero holding Elphaba's blue bowl. Elphaba retrieved a broom from the closet and fingered the wood delicately, twisting the handle in her hands as she tried to think of something to say.

"I-" she began, but Glinda let out a soft 'Oh!' as two shadows detached themselves from the far wall where the oil lamplight did not quite reach. Fiyero pushed the two girls behind him – but it was only Chistery and the Lion.

"We heard you talking. We know you're leaving." The Lion rumbled, looking downcast.

"Yes," Elphaba said softly, "We have to." She was prepared for an argument, but the Lion just nodded his shaggy head.

"I didn't think you'd stay."

Chistery looked sadder than any of them had ever seen him. His wings drooped as he shuffled across the floor to Elphaba.

"Why leave me behind?" he asked, looking hurt.

Elphaba crouched down and hugged him. "Because you'll be safer here, and happier; we don't know what waits beyond the desert. And things are going to improve for Animals in Oz now. You and the other Monkeys can stay with Glinda. She'll take good care of you."

Chistery didn't look any happier, but he consented to hug Fiyero, too, before retreating to Glinda's side. The blonde smiled down at him.

"It's going to be okay, Chistery," she said kindly, "I'll miss them, too, you know."

Then both Elphaba and Fiyero hugged the Lion, too, and said their goodbyes to him.

"Thank you for saving us," Elphaba said, "Back when Morrible was about to shoot me. We owe you a lot."

"You owe me nothing," the Lion said, "Because the two of you saved me further back than that, when I was a cub. I was just returning the favor." And he padded over to Chistery and sat quietly on his haunches.

And now the most difficult goodbye had come. Glinda had started crying, unable to hold her pain back any longer, and her face shone with a mask of tears.

Fiyero hugged her tightly, and she clung to him, shaking.

"I'll miss you," the Scarecrow said softly, "You know I _do _love you. You're like my sister."

"I've never stopped loving you," Glinda returned through her sobs, "And I don't think I ever will. Even if you're no longer 'Mr. Dancing Through Life'."

They both shared a laugh at that, and then finally stepped back from each other. Blue eyes turned to face brown, and time froze.

Fiyero beckoned to the two Animals, and they came willingly, all three going outside. The two girls didn't appear to notice. They stared at each other, wishing there was something to say, wishing things could be different.

Finally, Elphaba spoke. "Glinda-"

But that was as far as she got, because her throat constricted as the tears escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. And then, somehow, the girls were in each other's arms, hugging as if they would never let go.

The hug went on forever, or so it seemed, but finally they stepped back, still holding hands.

"I'll never forget you, Elphie. You've always been my best friend…"

"We were enemies once, too. Remember?" Elphaba asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Of course," Glinda said, "But that seems so long ago. It doesn't even matter anymore."

"No," Elphaba agreed, "it doesn't. You're my best friend, too, Glinda. You're the first and only person who's ever cared for me enough to be my true friend."

"You have Fiyero," Glinda pointed out.

"I have Fiyero." Elphaba agreed, "But he's not you."

Then both girls sighed, and in unison said, "I'll miss you." Then they both laughed and felt a little better as Elphaba scooped up her broom and led the way outside. Fiyero, the Lion, and Chistery were waiting for them. Elphaba muttered something to her broom, and it responded at once, rising a few feet into the air. Then they all turned for last goodbyes.

Glinda: There's a kind of a sort of - cost

Elphaba: There's a couple of things get - lost

Fiyero: There are bridges you cross

Lion: You didn't know you crossed

Chistery: Until you've crossed

Elphaba: And when you lose your way

Fiyero: Can't go on another day

Glinda: Take my hand and I'll show you

Elphaba: You've never gone astray

All: So we couldn't be happier

Simply couldn't be happier…

But the singing died away into the darkness as with heavy hearts Elphaba and Fiyero climbed onto the broom.

"Goodbye," Glinda whispered, clasping Elphaba's hands between her own.

"Goodbye," Elphaba responded, hugging the other witch as best she could.

Then the broom rose up into the air, everyone waving furiously, several faces wet.

Elphaba: Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

Glinda: But because I knew you

Elphaba: Because I knew you

Both: Because I knew you

I have been changed

For good!

The broom rose into the starry sky, a dark blot against the full moon. And with one final cackle, the Wicked Witch of the West left Oz forever.

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A/N: So sad!...You know what to do!


	30. Epilogue

A/N: Last chapter!!! Be sure to read the author's note at the end!

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**Chapter Thirty: Epilogue**

"Gramma, tell us a story!" A five-year-old boy with curly blonde locks and engaging blue eyes pleaded as he waved a snot-covered teddy bear in the air.

"Yes, tell us a story!" the other small children, four of them, chorused brightly.

Glinda beamed as she settled back into the cushions of her antique rocking chair. The Gillikinese woman still held a sort of faded beauty, even through the wrinkles that had taken hold through the years. She had done well for herself – married, bought a nice summer estate in her native Gillikin Country, and had three children, two daughters and a son. After seeing the reconstruction of the Emerald City through and putting the country back under control, Glinda had gratefully stepped down from the position of Ruler and retired with her family to the Upper Uplands to stay. The Ozians had never lost their respect for the one they considered their greatest ruler, however, and Glinda was still very famous at the age of seventy-three.

As the years passed, Glinda's family tree expanded to include her children's spouses and later nine grandchildren. Five of these were still little, but the other four were fast approaching or already at adolescence. Glinda loved her family more than anything, and had naturally been very devastated when her husband died unexpectedly three years before. But she bounced back, as she always had.

Now she laughed at the children's eagerness. "All right, all right," she said, holding up her hands in a gesture of defeat, "What should I tell you about?"

"Tell us something real," Thirteen-year-old Viola spoke up suddenly. Everyone turned to her in surprise. Viola was quiet by nature and rarely spoke at family gatherings.

Glinda smiled fondly. Viola reminded her so much of...

"Elphaba," Glinda's eldest, Poppy, who also happened to be Viola's mother, suggested softly. "Mom – tell them about Elphaba."

Glinda's breath caught in her throat. A dull roaring filled her ears, muting all other sound. Elphaba. Now there was a name that hadn't been heard in the household in ages. Glinda had told her children, Poppy, Christopher, and Faye, all about Elphaba, and Fiyero, and Boq, and everyone else, of course, before they had the chance to hear the distorted version the public still believed. But speaking about it all hurt too much, and Glinda had refrained from mentioning her old friends for years. The others in the house took the hint and didn't talk about it, either. They didn't even ask questions when Glinda hung an old cracked bowl on the living room wall. Glinda's eyes went to it now.

She nodded slowly, locking eyes with Poppy. "Yes…yes, I believe the time has come. Would someone please fetch me that bowl from the wall?"

Sixteen-year-old Frederick, the oldest grandchild, leapt up at once and handed it carefully to his grandmother.

"Thank you, dear. Alice, could you please turn the light up a bit?"

Eleven-year-old Alice obliged, and Glinda blinked and peered into the clear bowl, remembering. She'd seen so much in this glass…Fiyero and Elphaba's settling in a nice, secluded cottage somewhere outside Oz…their happiness over the years…even their adoption of a little girl. But Glinda hadn't looked in years, and she didn't particularly want to now. What if Elphaba was dead? No.

Glinda swallowed and looked up at her family. They were all watching her – her children, her sons-and-daughter-in-law, her grandchildren…down to four-year-old Kinth, every one of them was silent.

She smiled, took a deep breath, and began. "I suppose I should start at the beginning. Forget everything you every heard about the Wicked Witch of the West. I was her best friend…and this is the truth. It all started many years ago with a shy, green Munchkinlander girl…"

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A/N: Wow. Just...wow. I can't believe this story is over! I've been working on it for over a year-and-a-half. There've been ups and downs, but now I'm finally done!!!

Thanks to all my reviewers! I love you guys! Now, I'd really like my total reviews for this story to be over 85, because that's the record on my stories so far. So...if everyone who reads this reviews, we should have no problem!

Thanks again for everything, and especially to capriblue and yerosmyhero for putting up with me through it all, and for giving me ideas several times!


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